There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
As Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, He was publicly identifying Himself as the long-expected messianic King. In this message, R.C. Sproul explains the prophetic fulfillment that took place at this moment.
This message is from Dr. Sproul’s 12-part teaching series What Did Jesus Do?: Understanding the Work of Christ. Learn more:
Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), Scottish minister and covenanter Rutherford was born about the year 1600 near Nisbet, Scotland. Little is known of his early life. In 1627 he earned a M.A. from Edinburgh College, where he was appointed Professor of Humanity. He became pastor of the church in Anwoth in 1627. was a rural parish, and the people were scattered in farms over the hills. He had a true pastor’s heart, and he was ceaseless in his labors for his flock. We are told that men said of Rutherford, “He was always praying, always preaching, always visiting the sick, always catechising, always writing and studying.”
His first years in Anwoth, though, were touched with sadness. His wife was ill for a year and a month, before she died in their new home. Two children also died during this period. Nevertheless God used this time of suffering to prepare Rutherford to be God’s comforter of suffering people.
In 1636 Rutherford published a book defending the doctrines of grace (Calvinism) against Armininism. This put him in conflict with the Church authorities, which were dominated by the English Episcopacy. He was called before the High Court, deprived of his ministerial office, and exiled to Aberdeen. This exile was a sore trial for the beloved pastor. He felt that being separated from his congregation was unbearable. However, because of his exile, we now have many of the letters he wrote to his flock, and so the evil of his banishment has been turned into a great blessing for the church worldwide.
In 1638 the struggles between Parliament and King in England, and Presbyterianism vs. Episcopacy in Scotland culminated in momentous events for Rutherford. In the confusion of the times, he simply slipped out of Aberdeen and returned to his beloved Anwoth. But it was not for long. The Kirk (Church of Scotland) held a General Assembly that year, restoring full Presbyterianism to the land. In addition, they appointed Rutherford a Professor of Theology of St. Andrews, although he negotiated to be allowed to preach at least once a week.
The Westminster Assembly began their famous meetings in 1643, and Rutherford was one of the five Scottish commissioners invited to attend the proceedings. Although the Scots were not allowed to vote, they had an influence far exceeding their number. Rutherford is thought to have been a major influence on the Shorter Catechism.
During this period in England, Rutherford wrote his best-known work, Lex Rex, or The Law, the King. This book argued for limited government, and limitations on the current idea of the Divine Right of Kings.
When the monarchy was restored in 1660, it was clear that the author of Lex Rex would could expect trouble. When the summons came in 1661, charging him with treason, and demanding his appearance on a certain day, Rutherford refused to go. From his deathbed, he answered, “I must answer my first summons; and before your day arrives, I will be where few kings and great folks come.” He died on 30th March 1661.
Please watch: “A Call to Separation – A. W. Pink Christian Audio Books / Don’t be Unequally Yoked / Be Ye Separate”
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (3:16)
The word of Christ refers to the revelation He brought into the world, which is Scripture. Peace and thankfulness, as well as unity, love, and all the required virtues, flow from a mind controlled by Scripture. Dwell is from enoikeō and means “to live in,” or “to be at home.” Paul calls upon believers to let the Word take up residence and be at home in their lives. Plousiōs (richly) could also be translated “abundantly or extravagantly rich.” The truths of Scripture should permeate every aspect of the believer’s life and govern every thought, word, and deed. The Word dwells in us when we hear it (Matt. 13:9), handle it (2 Tim. 2:15), hide it (Ps. 119:11), and hold it fast (Phil. 2:16). To do those things, the Christian must read, study, and live the Word. To let the word of Christ richly dwell is identical to being filled with the Spirit (cf. Eph. 5:18). The Word in the heart and mind is the handle by which the Spirit turns the will. It is clear that these two concepts are identical because the passages that follow each are so similar.
Colossians 3:18–4:1 is a more brief parallel to Ephesians 5:19–6:9. The result of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the same as the result of letting the Word dwell in one’s life richly. Therefore, the two are the same spiritual reality viewed from two sides. To be filled with the Spirit is to be controlled by His Word. To have the Word dwelling richly is to be controlled by His Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit is the author and the power of the Word, the expressions are interchangeable.
Paul then mentions two specific results of the Word of Christ dwelling in the believer, one positive and the other negative: with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another. Teaching is the impartation of positive truth. Admonishing is the negative side of teaching. It means to warn people of the consequences of their behavior. Both are the result of a life overflowing with the Word of Christ.
Having the Word of Christ richly dwell in us produces not only information, but also emotion. It generates psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Psalms were taken from the Old Testament psalter, the book of Psalms. They sang psalms put to music, much as we do today. Hymns were expressions of praise to God. It is thought that some portions of the New Testament (such as Col. 1:15–20 and Phil. 2:6–11) were originally hymns sung in the early church. Spiritual songs emphasized testimony (cf. Rev. 5:9–10). They express in song what God has done for us. (For more details on this theme, see my commentary, Ephesians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 1986].)
Commentators are divided on whether chariti (thankfulness) should be translated “thankfulness” (as in the NIV and NASB) or “grace” (As in the KJV). Perhaps its use here encompasses both ideas: believers sing out of thankfulness for God’s grace. When Paul tells believers to sing in your hearts he does not mean not to sing with the voice. His concern is that the heart agree with the mouth (cf. Amos 5:23). Singing is to be directed to God as praise and worship offered to Him for His pleasure and glory. That it is edifying to believers is a byproduct of its main purpose.[1]
16 What is meant by the injunction: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”? Does “in you” mean “within you” (as individual Christians) or “among you” (as a Christian community)? Perhaps it would be unwise to rule either alternative out completely, although the collective sense may be uppermost in view of the context. Let there be ample scope for the proclamation of the Christian message and the impartation of Christian teaching in their meetings. Christian teaching must be based on the teaching of Jesus himself; it must be unmistakably “the word of Christ.” It would “dwell richly” in their fellowship and in their hearts if they paid heed to what they heard, bowed to its authority, assimilated its lessons, and translated them into daily living.
The punctuation of this sentence is disputed, but it makes better sense if the phrase “in all wisdom” is attached to “teach and instruct” (not to “dwell richly”) and the words “in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” modify the verb “singing” (and not “teach and instruct”).
The Colossian Christians, like those at Rome, should be able to instruct one another;151 but such instruction should be given wisely and tactfully. If wisdom or tact be absent, the instruction, however well intentioned, could provoke the opposite reaction to that which is designed.
Whatever view is taken of the punctuation or construction of the sentence, the collocation of the two participial clauses (as they are in the Greek text), “teaching and instructing …” and “singing …,” suggests that the singing might be a means of mutual edification as well as a vehicle of praise to God. In 1 Cor. 14:26 Paul insists that, when Christians come to their meetings prepared with a psalm or any other spiritual exercise, they must have regard to the essential requirements of general helpfulness and good order. In our present passage, as in the closely similar Eph. 5:19, antiphonal praise or solo singing at church meetings is probably recommended. We recall the younger Pliny’s report to the Emperor Trajan (A.D. 111–112) of the way in which Christians in Bithynia met on a fixed day before dawn and “recited an antiphonal hymn to Christ as God”; or Tertullian’s description eighty or ninety years later of the Christian love-feast at which, “after water for the hands and lights have been brought in, each is invited to sing to God in the presence of the others from what he knows of the holy scriptures or from his own heart.”154
It has been asked sometimes if a strict threefold classification of praise is signified in the mention of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” It is unlikely that any sharply demarcated division is intended, although the “psalms” might be drawn from the OT Psalter (which has supplied a chief vehicle for Christian praise from primitive times), the “hymns” might be Christian canticles (some of which are reproduced, in whole or in part, in the NT text), and the “spiritual songs” might be unpremeditated words sung “in the Spirit,”157 voicing holy aspirations.
Plainly, when early Christians came together for worship, they not only realized the presence of Christ in the breaking of the bread but also addressed prayers and praises to him in a manner which tacitly, and at times expressly, acknowledged him to be no less than God. If here the Colossian Christians are encouraged to sing in their hearts to God, the parallel Ephesian passage speaks of “singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord” (meaning, presumably, Christ). The voice must express the praise of the heart if the singing is to be really addressed to God. Again, the necessity of a thankful spirit is emphasized, although the phrase rendered “with thanksgiving” might mean “with grace” or “in a state of grace.”[2]
16 Paul continues with “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly,” which might sound either semimystical or individualistic until one reads the next line: “as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”162 That is to say, the message dwells among the fellowship as the members exercise a vigorous and comprehensive ministry of the Word. Like God and the Spirit and Christ (cf. 2 Cor 6:16; Rom 8:11), the “message” is to take up residence among the Colossians. Paul believes that logos/word becomes a dynamic reality that pervades a community.
The verse opens in Greek with “The message of Christ.” What is the “message” of Christ? Since the Greek term is logos (see above at 1:5) and since logos is translated “word,” and since “word” to many means “Word of God” as in Bible, many (over-and under-) interpret this verse to be a ministry of the Bible. For a succinct and comprehensive summary of the meaning of logos in the New Testament, I quote from the new edition of New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, edited afresh by Moisés Silva:
The term’s wide semantic range is evident in the NT, where it can refer to a statement or utterance (Matt 5:37; 12:32; 15:12; Luke 20:20), a question (Matt 21:24), a command (Luke 4:36), a report or rumor (Matt 28:15; Mark 1:45; Luke 5:15; Acts 11:22), a discourse (Matt 15:12), a message or teaching (Luke 4:32; 10:39; John 4:41; 17:20; 1 Cor 15:2), oral as opp. to written communication (Acts 15:27; 2 Cor 10:10), a written book (Acts 1:1), a citation from Scripture (1 Cor 15:54), and mere words as opp. to power and action (1 Cor 4:19; 1 Thess 1:5).… Special significance attaches to the use of logos with ref. to divine revelation, to the words spoken by and about Jesus, and to Jesus himself as the Word.
Logos describes verbal communication: In the New Testament logos acquires a special gospel kind of communication, Jesus teaches in essence the logos about the kingdom of God, and inasmuch as Jesus is the essence of the gospel (1 Cor 15:3–8), Jesus himself is the Logos (John 1:1–14). Why? Back to the notion of “verbal communication,” because he is the express communication of the Father to the world about God’s plan for the world and its redemption through the Son. Hence, the logos “of Christ” in our passage will refer to the message or gospel-preaching about Jesus as the Messiah-King, Lord, and Savior (1:5, 25; 4:3). The logos was favored for early Christian gospeling about Jesus (e.g., Gal 6:6; 1 Cor 14:36; 2 Cor 2:17; cf. Acts 2:40–41; 10:36, 44; 12:24; 16:6; 17:11). In our context one has to note what Paul said of the gospel to the Corinthians, namely, that it was the “logos of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19), and Col 1:20 expands this thought to cosmic reconciliation in Christ. The implication of this expression in Col 3:16 is that their speaking to one another takes on a Christocentric shape in subject matter. Put in modern terms, the discussion is not so much about the Bible but what it says about Christ, whom the Bible serves and to whom the Bible points. Such a view does not diminish the significance of the Bible but reveals the subject matter of the Bible.
The logos is to indwell them “richly” (NIV), which refers to the manifest ways the logos is to take root among them as specified in the words that follow: “as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” I prefer the term “abundantly” to “richly.” As God provides abundantly (1 Tim 6:17) and as the Spirit is poured out abundantly through King Jesus (Titus 3:6), so the logos indwells the Colossian fellowship abundantly—that is, pervading everything in all ways.
The specifics of the indwelling logos are now spelled out in these terms: first, teaching and admonishing are the primary logos acts within the fellowship, and second, they occur in psalms, hymns, and Spirit-prompted songs. This is a rare glimpse into the nature of early Christian corporate gatherings. What Paul says in 1 Cor 14:26 resembles what is said here: “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.”
And so does Eph 5:18–20: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
But in Colossians we have a logos saturation, a Christ-shaped communication among the people of God and performed by each in the congregation (“one another”). At Col 1:28 much the same was said about the logos ministry of Paul and Timothy, and that verse gives us an orientation to our verse: “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.”
Again, we encounter a Christocentric logos ministry of both teaching and admonishing, while 1:28 contained the teleology (“so that”) that sets the logos ministry in context. Our verse has less concern with that teleology and more of a concern with the means of the teaching and admonishing (3:17 will hint at teleology). To remind of what was said at 1:28, “teach and admonish” in 3:16 can overlap in meaning, so that admonishing is not just rebuking or warning but entails the kind of instruction that reminds and reveals and rebukes (or warns) and gets someone’s mind in proper shape (see 1 Thess 5:12, 14; 2 Thess 3:15; 1 Cor 4:14; Rom 15:14). If “admonish” focuses on the warning side of ecclesial catechesis, the term “teaching” focuses on the more informational, formational, and positive side of catechesis or paraenesis.171 This kind of “teaching” emphasizes both theological and moral instruction, the sort we find throughout Colossians. Most notably, Paul does not reserve teaching to one group of people (apostles, teachers, pastors, elders) but instead here reveals it to be a fellowship-wide activity. In context—unless somehow we can establish that his command of 3:16 applies only to males—this entails women teaching and admonishing men.
Their logos communication is “in all wisdom,” an expression much along the line of our comments at 1:9 and 1:28, with the added observation that Jesus himself is the incarnation of that wisdom (2:3). With the term “wisdom” Paul guides the Colossians to live in God’s world in God’s way, namely, in Christoformity—shaped by the life-giving and cosmos-reconciling grace in the life, death, resurrection, and exalted rule of Jesus. The sphere of the teaching and admonishment is the wisdom of knowing how to live a Christoform life.
Our instinct when it comes to instruction and admonishment is the classroom or the pulpit, if not an entire catechesis program, but Paul’s next words surprise: he envisions catechism of one another through song. This dialectical expression gets at the heart of Paul’s words: “If we regard the impartation of the word of Messiah as the goal of teaching, admonishing, and singing, then we are led to the conclusion that teaching is meant to take on a worshipful character while musical praise is to take on a didactic role in order to comprehensively impart the word. Christian teaching is not meant to be dry, but soaked in thankful praise. Similarly, singing is not purposed to be doctrinally benign but should comprise a pointer to the truth of Jesus Christ.” Colossians 1:15–20 fulfills such an expectation.
The terms for songs (psalms, hymns, songs) move from the classic Jewish prayer/songbook, the Psalms, to two terms with little distinction between them. Each term connotes singing unto the Lord as “songs from the Spirit,” so it is unlikely we should press distinctions between them.178 There is a debate about whether we should use “Spirit” or “spiritual songs” in our translations. The first term, “psalms,” refers to set songs in an already established singing or chanting tradition (the Psalms of the Old Testament) and very possibly accompanied by stringed instrument.180 Paul affirms the recitation or intoned chanting of the Psalms. “Hymns” refers to the growing poetic tradition about Christ in the earliest Christian churches (hence, Luke 1:46–55, 68–79; 2:29–32; Col 1:15–20; Phil 2:6–11). The third term (“songs”) is the least formal, and thus “songs from the Spirit [or spiritual]” may mean “spontaneous” or “inspired” or “charismatic” songs. A good example of such is 1 Macc 13:51: “On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred seventy-first year, the Jews entered it [the citadel at Jerusalem] with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel.”
But it is a mistake to think the word “spiritual” (CEB, rather than the NIV “from the Spirit”) in Col 3:16 can be divorced entirely from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 14:15, 26; Eph 5:18–20) because what is “spiritual” for Paul is “Spirit-prompted” or “Spirit-ual.” So it is at least possible that glossolalic singing is in view (1 Cor 14:15). A solid case has been made that the songs contrast to the mystical music of the halakic mystics at Colossae (cf. 2:18–19, 23). With mystical music present in the heavenly tour in Testament of Job 48:3; 49:3; 50:1 and in the Apoc. Zeph. 8, Paul himself may have heard such music in his own ecstasies (1 Cor 13:1; 2 Cor 12:4). By anchoring songs in local worship, Paul grounds the Colossians in opposition to the heavenly mysticism of the opponents. The prepositional phrase “singing to God with gratitude” attached to “songs from the Spirit” is another bridge phrase: Does it attach itself to “songs from the Spirit” or to “singing to God” (NIV, CEB)? Once again there is no certainty, but I opt with the NIV and CEB in attaching it to “singing to God.” They are to praise187 God in a state of gratitude because of the cosmic reconciliation in which they are now participating. Furthermore, they are to do so “in their hearts,” which here refers to the depth of their praise.
Song in Pauline theology has an important role to play in communal catechesis, something known to many in discovering how much our theology has been shaped by songs. Nevertheless, we do tend to devalue music’s value for catechesis.[3]
3:16 / Here is a verse loaded with important truths. Paul has just spoken about the peace of Christ that is to rule in the believers’ hearts (3:15). Now he turns to another aspect of Christ, namely, the word of Christ. This phrase, taken as an objective genitive in Greek, means the words about Christ, that is, the gospel.
The word of Christ is to dwell within the believer and can do so either richly or feebly. Although the gospel certainly is “rich” in meaning, content, and so on, the Greek adverb richly definitely is intended to characterize the manner in which Christ’s message is to inhabit the believer: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
The indwelling word will manifest itself in two ways: First, the Colossians are exhorted to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom. This is a pedagogical process (cf. 1:28) in which all members share responsibility. In light of Paul’s ministry as a teacher and Epaphras’ as a transmitter of tradition, this verse should not be taken to imply a deficiency in these church leaders.
The second manifestation of the word of Christ is in worship. Considerable research has gone into analyzing the different components mentioned, so it is not unusual for commentators to suggest that psalms (psalmois) may have their heritage in the Old Testament; hymns (hymnois) could include psalms but may be more Christian songs of praise to God or Christ; spiritual songs (ōdais) may be musical compositions originating from ecstatic utterances under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 14:16).
On the basis of this passage and a similar one in Ephesians 5:19, it is not possible to establish distinctions with any precision, even though there is a certain diversity about the three. It does help one to appreciate both the richness of Christian hymnody even at this early stage of the church’s life and the function of music within the context of worship. When such music is grounded in the word of God (i.e., doctrinal in content), it definitely serves a teaching and instructional function within the body.
Singing is to be expressed in a spirit of gratitude. Music may edify the members of a congregation, but its primary function is to render thanks to God. The word translated gratitude is charis, not the more common eucharistia. charis can also mean “grace,” and with the inclusion of the article (en tē chariti), Paul may be referring to the grace of God. When Christians sing “in the grace,” they sing by virtue of the grace of God which is theirs. (The niv rightly uses God rather than “Lord,” which has weaker manuscript evidence and probably represents an attempt to harmonize it with Eph. 5:19.)[4]
Let the word of Christ dwell in you (verse 16)
As usual in this letter Paul takes every opportunity to stress the centrality and sufficiency of Christ. Elsewhere, in a parallel passage, he can write to the believers about letting the Holy Spirit fill them. In Paul’s teaching there is never any question of Word and Spirit being separately experienced. The coming of the Word of God in the gospel is the coming of the Spirit, and the coming of the Spirit is the coming of the living and abiding Word of God. Therefore, to enjoy the fullness of the Spirit, a Christian must necessarily be filled with the word of Christ.
A Christian community is happy, therefore, if the word of Christ is richly, that is abundantly, available. But it may well be that the visitors looked to other sources by which a ‘word’ from God might come their way (cf. 2:4, 18, 20–22). If so (and how else did they get their authoritative messages?), this must have greatly influenced the teaching they gave, and the type of songs they used for praise: instead of being characterized by the word of Christ, there would be a significant admixture of human doctrines, i.e. of religious traditionalism.
For the apostle, therefore, the word of Christ must control all the ministries of the local church. First, there is the ministry of teaching. It is intriguing, in view of modern interest in lay ministry, that the work of teaching and admonishing, described in 1:28 as Paul’s major function, is here said to be the work of the local congregation, the people (laos) of God in one place. How could it be otherwise? A responsibility so vast must be shared. But it will not be carried out in all wisdom, that is with sufficient balance and relevance (1:9ff.) if the local congregation itself is not firmly under the word of Christ.
Secondly, there is the ministry of praise. Paul likes to pile synonyms together, although words that appear synonymous (e.g. as here, teach and admonish) sometimes carry different emphases. In the case of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs we shall be wise not to attempt a differentiation, for since the time of Jerome the problem has been debated, and is still unsolved! What is at issue here is the content of the young church’s hymns. The history of Christian awakening shows that whenever the word of Christ is recovered, it is received with great joy, a joy that can fully express itself only with songs of praise. What the apostle is concerned to see is that these songs are consistent with the word of Christ, or as we are bound to say nowadays, scriptural. A fair test of this is to be found by whether or not they echo a heartfelt spirit of thankfulness: genuine Christian praise is not primarily a vehicle for the expression of spiritual aspirations and experiences, so much as a celebration of God’s mighty acts in Christ. Lohse has an interesting comment on the normal translation:
This translation cannot account for the definite article which specifies charis as God’s bestowal of grace which gives life to the believers. The phrase en tē chariti reminds the readers of sola gratia (by grace alone) which is the sole basis of existence and creates the realm in which Christian life can exist and develop. This is the reason why God is praised.
Very well. A gospel of grace (1:6) must be echoed by songs of gratitude for grace.[5]
Ver. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.—
The Word of Christ:—
I. What is it? The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. 1. Christ is their author. 2. He is their subject-matter—they testify of Him. Christ is the Word, the wisdom of God, the truth; and truth as well as grace came by Him.
II. How shall we treat it? 1. Let it dwell in us. It must not be as a stranger, or a visitor, or as an acquaintance with whom we are not specially intimate, or as a friend away and seldom seen, but rather as a resident member of our family with whom we are in constant and loving communication. 2. Let it dwell in you. It is not enough that it be in our house, study, pocket, and so at hand. It must be in our heart, pervading our whole spiritual nature, directing and controlling all our life and conduct. “Thy Word have I hid in my heart.” “Out of the heart are the issues of life.” 3. Let it dwell in you richly, plentifully, profoundly. This implies—(1) An intimate knowledge of the truth. (2) A believing, saving experience of the truth. We should seek to understand it in its inmost compass; in all its bearings and relations, and then gladly receive it, in the love of it, into good and honest hearts (James 1:2). (T. W. Sydnor.)
The school of the Word:—
I. The lesson-book. The Word of Christ, so called, because—1. He is its central theme. The beginning of the story of the race is told that the first Adam may prepare the way for the second: then the mass of the race is forgotten, and one chosen family selected because Christ was to come out of it. The songs, prophecies, teachings of the Old Testament are full of Christ, and its characters are as fragments of the perfect character of Jesus. The ethics of the book find their full manifestation in Him. The Gospels are biographies of Him, and the Epistles expositions of the truths of that biography. 2. It was originated by Christ. Some write of what they see or hear, but Christ produces the history He causes to be recorded. He not only breathed His Spirit upon men’s minds that they might write its doctrines; He produced the facts which are the basis of the doctrines. Pardon is taught; but He made the atonement by His death. Immortality is taught; but He revealed it first by His resurrection. 3. He dwells in it. Men are in quest of Christ, and seek Him in sacraments and holy things and places. But we have “not to ascend into heaven to bring Him down,” &c. “The Word is nigh thee.” Christ is in His Word, not as Plato in his republic or Shakespeare in his plays, but as a living and operating power. “My words are spirit, and they are life.” 4. Through it He works. There is not a process of grace promised or commended that it does not promote. (1) Conviction of sin. “The entrance of Thy Word giveth liglit.” “The Word is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword.” (2) Conversion. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” (3) Salvation from sin, “Thy Word have I hid in my heart,” &c. (4) Edification. “The Word of His grane … is able to build you up,” &c. (5) All sound Christian profit. “Is profitable for doctrine,” &c.
II. The school. 1. The Church generally. Christ appointed the Church to teach His Word, and His Word forms the basis of her creeds, and the final authority when those creeds are questioned. It is to be exalted in her worship, commemorated in her sacraments, and proclaimed and defended in her pulpits. 2. The school of devotion; the prayer-meeting. 3. The school of experience; the class or fellowship-meeting. 4. The school of the family, where children learn theology, and the Divine character and administration, by object-lessons, by what father and mother say and do. 5. But pre-eminently is the Sunday school the school of the Word.
III. The teacher. 1. His qualification. The Word is to dwell in him richly—in his tongue as its expounder; in his memory as a student; in his heart as a believer: so that when he prays he uses it, when he teaches texts come to his tongue-ends, and as he lives he illustrates it. It must so dwell in him that he will delight in it, love to quote it, go to sleep in times of storm resting upon it, and use it in the hour of death as the key to the kingdom. 2. His method. (1) Teaching; (2) admonishing; (3) translating into life. (Bishop Vincent.)
The indwelling of the Word:—There is nothing easier than to hear the Word with a general regard, and few things more difficult than to receive it as a principle of spiritual life. Satan hinders; cumbering with much business, diverting with trifles, or disturbing with wicked imaginations or affections.
I. The word of Christ. 1. In a special and limited sense this is the gospel, because He preached and published it. 2. In a larger sense it is both Testaments, for He is the author of both. 3. Then in listening to Bible teaching we are listening to Christ Himself. “The Word” is one of His titles, and He would have us honour it by honouring the Scriptures which testify of Him. 4. It is sometimes called the Word of the Kingdom, because it shows the way to the kingdom of grace, that we may be partakers of the kingdom of glory; “the Word of life,” because the instrument of regeneration and spiritual sustentation. 5. But though necessary, how many unnecessary things are preferred before it. It is the polar star which shines out in the spiritual firmament to point you to Christ; and yet in how many instances is the glimmering taper of human reason preferred! It opens a well of life; yet many choose the broken cistern.
II. Its dwelling-place. 1. It is to dwell. (1) This points out a contrast between a settled and vagrant life. With the mere wanderer we hold little in common: the resident is well known. As you give yourself up to the study of the sacred oracles, the mind of the Spirit becomes imparted to your own. (2) This is an allusion to God’s “dwelling” in the Holy of Holies. Christ’s Word is to be as the Shekinah. 2. It is to dwell within: not in the understanding merely to enlighten it, nor in the judgment to inform and convince it, but to be deeply seated and treasured up in the heart. “I will write My law in their inward parts,” &c. And unless it is so written it is quite certain that we have no interest in the covenant. (1) It is to dwell there as a man dwells in his own house, which he is proud of calling his castle, and which is not as a temporary tent. “If ye continue in My Word,” &c. How many there are who give it only the entertainment of a wayfaring man who obtains with difficulty a lodging for the night, and in the morning is gone. (2) In order thus to dwell it must be mixed with faith. Without faith it may produce various effects: it may make you, like Herod, “do many things,” and induce you, like Felix, “to hear Paul gladly”; it may produce feelings of wonder, &c.; but it is only when received in faith that it can really profit.
III. The measure in which it is to dwell in us. 1. Richly: not as a scanty stream, but as a full flowing river. You are not to be content with partial views of God’s truth. The whole written Word is the soul’s pasturage. “All Scripture … is profitable.” “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word,” &c. 2. This requires prayerful searching, and much more than reading in haste a chapter in the morning or at night. We do not search after worldly wealth so. 3. This rich indwelling will be fruitful in (1) comfort; (2) holiness; (3) revived spiritual life. (T. Watson, B.A.)
The indwelling Word of Christ:—1. This exhortation is connected with the exhortation out of which it springs (vers. 14–15); and with the outward expression in which it finds vent (ver. 16). 2. The Word of Christ is not His personal teaching merely, but the whole Bible as His present Word, affording the materials of present speech. 3. Its indwelling is personal, and is not to be evaporated, as if it referred to the Church collective (Rom. 8:11; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 3:17; 2 Tim. 1:5, 14).
I. Let the word of Christ dwell in you. 1. This implies a sense of the preciousness of Christ Himself realized by faith. (1) No one’s word will be precious to you unless he is precious whose word it is. The word of one you dislike will be contemptuously rejected; the word of one who is an object of indifference will pass swiftly by you. (2) How much of the Word of Christ may be missed unless He is precious. In many parts you think that He is only dimly and distantly to be found, and even passages fullest of Him do not bring Him as speaking personally to you. But it is only as it does that that the Bible is the Word of Christ. A friend’s letter is his word to me when by means of it I call him up before me in his own loved person speaking to me. Then it dwells in me. Thus, through my love to Him and His preciousness to me, Scriptures which seem to have little to do with Him may become His Word to me. 2. The preciousness of Christ’s Word, as well as of Christ Himself, is essential to its dwelling in you. (1) If Christ is precious, His Word must be precious. The word of a precious friend is precious even before you know what it contains. Its very outside is welcome. But it becomes more so as you study it, and especially if it be of real value. (2) Most Christians can name a text apparently having little to do with Christ, which has become, nevertheless, one of His best remembrancers. It is connected with some marked crisis; as a whisper of consolation, a breath of pity in sinfulness, felt as the Word of Christ just then wanted. (3) The way of finding Christ all through the Bible is not merely to get it to speak of Christ, but to get Christ to speak to you about it; and so to make it all His, i.e., let it all, every bit and fragment of it, be welded into your experience, with Christ living in you the hope of glory. (4) This may be by the Spirit being given in answer to the prayer of faith. He teaches you all things as said by Christ. Do not force it to tell of Christ formally, so as to offend critics and offend ordinary readers. Take it in its plain meaning, but expect that Christ in it may have some lesson to teach; some comfort to impart; some rebuke to administer. 3. The felt preciousness of real present and living intercourse between Christ and you will cause the Word, as His, to abide in you. (1) That Word sustains the intercourse, and is for colloquial uses. You are to dwell in Christ and He in you, but communion cannot long be maintained without language. We may dream of this mutual indwelling after some vague, sleepy fashion; but if it is to be more than a dream there must be talk between us. He Himself deals with this subject (John 15:7; 16:23). This can only be realized by the Comforter “bringing to remembrance whatsoever He hath said unto you.” His Word, then, must be the staple of the verbal intercourse. He uses it in speaking to you, and you in speaking to Him. (2) Thus used, it will dwell. Otherwise, while whole strings of texts or chapters may be retained in the memory, and may be glibly quoted, the virtue will be gone out of them. If you would have the Word to abide in you as the precious Word of a precious Saviour, you must always turn it to account in fellowship with Him.
II. Richly. 1. In quantity. Let the mind and soul be richly stored. Ah! how much there is of the Bible that does not dwell in you because you do not realize it as the Word of Christ; whole chapters that have not been linked to any gracious dealing of Christ. 2. In quality. (1) A rich manure is one that enriches the soil; and it dwells in the soil richly in proportion as it enriches it, turning its hard, dry sterility into fruitful mould. So let the Word of Christ dwell in you as to enrich your souls. (2) But it must be as the Word of Christ. For such is the poverty and perversity of the soil, that otherwise even the Word will, instead of enriching the soul, become partaker of its deadness, and end in being as salt which has lost its savour. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life, making it truly the living Word of a living Christ. (3) And how penetrating, as well as powerful, should be its virtue. It should reach to every nook of your life. 3. In correspondence to the riches of Him whose Word it is. Riches of goodness, glory, wisdom, knowledge, grace; unsearchable riches of Christ. 4. It is to dwell in you, not only as rich receivers, but dispensers. “Freely ye have received, freely give.” You are to be richly productive, fruit-bearing, in faith, in good works. 5. Notice the social bearing of the precept as embedded in the context (vers. 12–15 on the one hand, and ver. 16 on the other). In either view this indwelling is not to be like a mass of dead matter crammed into a dead receptacle; as bales are packed in a warehouse, or loads of unread learning are crowded on library shelves for show. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth, the life, the hand must speak. (R. S. Candlish, D.D.)
Indwelling of the Word of Christ:—
I. The Word of Christ. 1. The literal Word of Christ is one of the most wonderful things that ever has been in the world. Not from Roman rostrum, nor in terms of Greek philosophy, nor as a Jewish rabbi, but simply and naturally to simple and ordinary men wherever they could be got together, and as He spake the words seem to root themselves in the heart, and grew a living force in the life of the nation. Then came the alternative that He must keep silence or die; but He went on speaking till He said, “It is finished.” Immediately on His resurrection He began to speak, and when He went away He left nothing behind Him but His Word. At that time His life and death were unknown powers, and He did not leave the least written explanation of them, nor were the Gospels in existence at the time of this Epistle; but there was the Word of Christ in its newness and energy. 2. Whether or not that Word would have lived without a literary embodiment we are not required to settle. For evidently it was Christ’s purpose to condense His living speech into writings for the instruction of men. And there is clear reference here to the written as well as the spoken Word. Thus the phrase takes its most comprehensive sense—the gospel—all that is revealed of God for human salvation. 3. Manifestly all this lies solely in the Scriptures. There is authoritative Word of Christ for us nowhere else. But here the Book is all His. He has fulfilled it, explained it, inspired it, made it a living Word from first to last, that He might by His Spirit give it living and blessed applications.
II. Its indwelling. Yield yourselves up as sacred dwellings to be occupied with it. 1. This means that other tenants are not to remain unless in full agreement with this chief dweller. Thoughts and words of men, plans of earthly ambition, pleasures of sin—away! All thoughts are to be ruled, all cares hallowed by it, and all enjoyments made safe and good. It must be this much, or it can be nothing vital. Christ’s Word in the morning, selfish prudence all through the day; Christ’s Word for religious service, the word of man for the mercantile transaction; Christ’s Word for sickness and death, other words for times of health and pleasure; will not do. The tenant will only occupy as sole possessor of the tenement. 2. Let it dwell. There is plenty of it to fill the wonderful house. (1) Down to the deepest base of life it will go, where passions lurk, and flowing round and through them, it will purge away what is unhallowed, leaving only wholesome forces to strengthen and perfect character. (2) Into the rooms that lie more open to common day, and more level with the world, where many busy feet come and go—where knowledge gathers her stores, prudence holds her scales, judgment records her decisions, diligence plies her tasks, acquisition counts her gains, and foresight watches the opening future; into all these the living Word will enter, and at her ingress the darkening shadow melts, the wrinkles of care are smoothed, and slippery things cease their blandishments, and injustice and unkindness hide their heads. (3) Up higher yet, where imagination lights her lamp, and invention stirs her fires, and desire bends the knee, looking upward, and hope sits watching with nothing between her and the stars. 3. Richly—in its best forms and sweetest fragrance, with all its luminous, guiding powers. Fill yourselves with it. Open all the doors, fling wide the windows. You have only to do that. You have not to make the Word: it is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth if thou wilt but let it dwell in thee richly. 4. But here is more than a mere passive allowance. There is a direct appeal to the will and to the activity of the mind. The Word, abundant as it is, will not come to dwell at all without consent and careful and diligent endeavour. Much “wisdom” is needed for the due remembrance and seasonable entertainment of the various parts in order to apply it to meet the wants of life as they arise. In this every man must be his own minister. We do not need the whole Bible every day; we need it as we need corn in the granary, as the lamps by night. There is many a passage in reserve. We glance at them to-day with only a general interest, but the day will come when they will be as thousands of gold and silver. Meantime it is a great matter to know what is daily bread for this day. (1) Am I in the dark about myself, about the world? Then it will be wise to let the Word of Christ dwell in me as a revelation. (2) Am I doubting and desponding, finding few signs of grace? Then let me remember the Word of Christ as a word of assured salvation, saving the eyes from tears, the feet from falling, and the soul from death. (3) Am I, though calmed with forgiveness, very weak, and unfit for continuing the struggle of the nobler life? Then let me take some strong promise, adapted to the need, and drink it up as a fainting man would drink a cordial until I am refreshed. (4) Am I sorrowing? Can I forget “Let not your heart be troubled.” (5) Am I passing away from earth and time? More than ever do I need to take Him at His word: “I will not leave nor forsake.”
III. The outflow. One of the divinest and most necessary truths is that we must give in order to have. The Word of Christ, in order to secure continuance, must be always leaving us. Go among the mountains, and you will see that it is the living stream that flows away; and where it flows the grass is green, and the flowers bloom, and the cattle drink, and the children linger to dip the foot and hear the song. Yet the spring is in no way exhausted. It is fed by the drawing sun, the condensing mountains, the bountiful clouds, the wide sea. Let your inner life, nourished by the indwelling Word, have not ostentatious and noisy, but natural and continuous expression. Its light will come to you from the land of lights. So will you draw from the infinite ocean of Divine love (see vers. 16, 17). A beautiful life; a life of poetry and heart music; a life, too, open alike to all. (A. Raleigh, D.D.) Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.—
I. The Psalms of the Old Testament have no single and universally accepted designation in the Hebrew Scriptures. They first obtained such in the Septuagint. Psalm comes from a word signifying properly a touching, and then a touching of a stringed instrument with a plectrum, and next the instrument itself, and lastly the song sung with this musical accompaniment. It was in this latest stage that the word was adopted by the Septuagint, and to this agree the ecclesiastical definitions of it. In all probability the word here and in Eph. 5:19 refers to the inspired Psalms of the Hebrew canon, and certainly designates these on all other occasions where it is met with in the New Testament, with the doubtful exception of 1 Cor. 14:16. The psalms, then, which the apostle would have the faithful to sing to one another are those of David, Asaph, and the other sweet singers of Israel.
II. Hymns. While the “psalm” by right of primogeniture, as at once the oldest and most venerable, occupies the foremost place, the Church of Christ does not restrict herself to such, but claims the freedom of bringing new things as well as old out of her treasure house, a new salvation demanding a new song. It was the essence of a Greek “hymn” that it should be addressed to, or be in praise of a god or a hero, i.e., a deified man, as Callisthenes reminded Alexander, who, claiming hymns for himself, or suffering them to be addressed to him, implicitly accepted divine honours. In the gradual breaking down of the distinction between the human and the divine which marked the fallen days of Greece and Rome, with the usurping on the part of men of divine honours, the hymn came more and more to be applied to men; although this was not without remonstrance. When the word was assumed into the language of the Church, this essential distinction clung to it still. A “psalm” might be a De profundis, the story of man’s deliverance, or a commemoration of mercies received; and of a “spiritual song” much the same could be said; a “hymn” must always be more or less of a Magnificat, a direct address of praise and glory to God. Augustine in more places than one states the essentials of a hymn. 1. It must be sung. 2. It must be praise. 3. It must be to God. But though “hymn” was a word freely adopted in the fourth century, it nowhere occurs in the early Fathers, probably because it was so steeped in heathenism, so linked with profane associations, there were so many hymns to Zeus, Hermes, Aphrodite, &c., that the early Christians shrank from it. We may confidently assume that the hymns referred to in the text were direct addresses to God, such as Luke 1:46–55, 68–79; Acts 4:24, and that which Paul and Silas sang in the Philippian dungeon (Acts 16:25). How noble, how magnificent uninspired hymns could prove we have evidence in the Te Deum, in the Veni Creator Spiritus, and in many a later heritage which the Church has acquired. That the Church, brought at the time when St. Paul wrote into a new and marvellous world of realities, would be rich in these we might be sure, even if no evidence existed to this effect. Of such evidence, however, there is abundance (Eph. 5:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:11–14). And as it was quite impossible that the Church, releasing itself from the Jewish synagogue, should fall into the same mistake as some portions of the Reformed Church, we may be sure that it adopted into liturgic use, not psalms only, but also hymns, singing them to Christ as God (Pliny, Ep. x. 96); though this we may conclude, more largely in Churches gathered out of the heathen world than in those wherein a strong Jewish element existed.
III. Spiritual songs. Ὀδή is the only word of this group which the Apocalypse knows (5:9; 14:3; 15:3). St. Paul, on the two occasions when he employs it, adds “spiritual” to it, and this, no doubt, because “Ode” by itself might mean any kind of song, as of battle, of harvest, or festal, or hymeneal, while “psalm,” from its Hebrew use, and “hymn,” from its Greek, did not need such qualification. The epithet thus applied does not affirm that these odes were Divinely inspired, any more than the spiritual man is an inspired man (1 Cor. 3:1; Gal. 6:1), but only that they were such as were composed by spiritual men, and moved in the sphere of spiritual things. How are we, then, to distinguish these from the former two. If “psalms” represent the heritage of sacred song derived by the Christian Church from the Jewish, the “hymns and spiritual songs” will cover what further in the same kind it produced out of its own bosom; but with a difference. What the hymns were we have seen; but Christian thought and feeling will soon have expanded into a wider range of poetic utterances than those in which there is a direct address to the Deity. If we turn, e.g., to Herbert’s Temple, or Keble’s Christian Year, there are many poems in both, which, as certainly they are not “psalms,” so as little do they possess the characteristics of hymns. “Spiritual songs” these might be fitly called; even as in almost all our collections of so-called “hymns” there are not a few which by much juster title would bear this name. (Archbishop Trench.)
The poets of the New Testament:—
I. The extent of the poetic endowment in the primitive Churches. That it was extensively bestowed we may conceive—1. From the frequent reference made to it (1 Cor. 14:26). In Corinth it was valued as a charismata (see also Eph. 5:19; James 5:13). 2. From the universality of the preternatural endowment. The gift of the Spirit was generally bestowed, and this would rouse the poetic faculty in all who had it, and consecrate it to sacred uses. 3. From the universality of excited feelings in the apostolic Churches. Most of those who embraced religion were subject to extraordinary excitement, and poetry is the language of excited feelings. To the unconverted this inspiration was madness or intoxication.
II. Its character. Poetical productions have a character. They are fruitful or barren, corrupt or chaste. There is much in our great poets repugnant to our sense of propriety and which we would fain suppress; but the mere fact that these early Christian poets were under the power of the Spirit would show that their poetry must have been high and pure. There are three things which determine the value of poetry. 1. Intellectual merit. This was high with the primitive Christians. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Christian truth is calculated to incite the highest feelings of the soul, and these lofty emotions would find utterance in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” The profoundest feelings of our nature can only be expressed in poetry. The highest strains of the orator are poetical. 2. Moral purity. “Admonishing one another.” This implies a deep concern for each other’s moral welfare. The basis of this concern is personal morality, and issued in strains that were morally improving. 3. Poetic conception. The ideas of the primitive Christians were imaginative and creative.
III. Its utility. Every Divine gift is bestowed for a useful purpose. What is the use of this? 1. For personal enjoyment. The true poet lives in a creation of his own, and in the deepest solitude he communes with the infinite source of light, life, love, and beauty. “Poetry,” said Coleridge, “has been to me its own exceeding great reward. It has soothed my affliction, it has endeared solitude, and it has given me the habit of wishing to discover the good and beautiful in all that surrounds me.” 2. As an element in public worship. Nothing adorns, enlivens, and augments the interest of public worship more than music. It secures the harmony of hearts as well as of voices. 3. It is of social utility. Poetry has exercised a powerful influence on society in all ages, for consolation, inspiration, &c. (P. L. Davies, M.A.)
The service of song:—
I. The duty. 1. Singing is God’s ordinance, binding all sorts of men (Eph. 6:19; James 5:13; Psa. 66:1–2; 92:1; 135:3). This is a part of our piety, and is a most comely thing. 2. A Christian should recreate himself chiefly this way (James 5:13). God does not allow us to shoulder out this with other recreations. 3. We should sing in our houses as well as in our Churches. (1) For daily exercise (Psa. 101:1–2). (2) When Christians meet together (1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 5:19).
II. The manner. 1. We should teach and admonish by singing, and that—(1) ourselves, by considering the matter. (2) Others, as ministers in appointing hymns for the congregation, or masters of the family, or when Christians meet, there should be choice of such psalms as may comfort or rebuke according to occasion (1 Cor. 14:26). 2. We must sing with grace. This is diversely interpreted; some understand it of the dexterity that should be used in singing; others of the comeliness, right order, reverence, or delight of the heart; others of thanksgiving. But I think that to sing with grace is to exercise the graces of the heart in singing, i.e., with holy joy (Psa. 9:2); trust in God’s mercies (Psa. 13:5); a holy commemoration of God’s benefits (Psa. 47:6); yea, with the desire of our hearts that our singing may be acceptable (Psa. 104:33–34). 3. We must sing with our hearts, not with our tongues only for ostentation. To sing with the heart is to sing with the understanding (Psa. 47:7; 1 Cor. 14:14), with sense and feeling. Hence we are said to prepare our hearts before we sing (Psa. 57:7). Then we must sing earnestly and awake out of our lethargy (Psa. 57:8). 4. We must sing to the Lord (Eph. 5:19), both to God’s glory and with a sense of His presence, and upon a holy remembrance of His blessings.
III. The uses. 1. For instruction. When we are merry to sing psalms (James 5:13), yea, to account this a heavenly melody (Eph. 5:19). 2. For reproof of such as delight in profane songs. (N. Byfield.)
The conditions of the service of song:—
I. Psalms, &c., must be spiritual. 1. As to the origin. As Moses, David, and others under the impulse of the Holy Spirit, composed their psalms, &c., so we, whether we sing the same or others, ought to do it under the same direction (Eph. 5:18, 19). 2. As to matter: they treat of spiritual things, relating to the glory of God and our salvation; not of secular and vain matters.
II. They must be sung with grace. 1. With gratitude. The word sometimes means this (1 Cor. 15:57; 2 Cor. 2:14). Gratitude is not improperly joined to songs; because we are moved to sing in joyous and prosperous circumstances, in which condition thankfulness is binding and necessary. 2. With gracious affability, which conveys both pleasure and utility to the hearers; so that what Horace says concerning poets may be said of these spiritual songs. “They would both profit and delight.” So the word means in chap. 4:6, and Eph. 4:29.
III. They must be sung in the heart, i.e., from the inmost affection. And rightly is an ardent emotion required, for the action of singing declares the inward exultation of the heart. He therefore acts the hypocrite who sings with the heart asleep. Hence David not only tunes his voice to the harp, but his voice before either (Psa. 57:7–8). So Mary (Luke 1:46–47). Do not think one thing and sing another.
IV. They must be sung unto the Lord. The songs of Christians ought not to aim at promoting dissoluteness or gain; but to be employed in celebrating the praises of the Redeemer. Corollaries: 1. The custom of singing is useful, and is to be adopted in the assembling of Christians, as well in public as in private. 2. It is so to be performed, that they who hear may from thence derive spiritual pleasure and edification. Therefore farewell to all nugatory, and much more to impure songs. 3. In singing it ought to be our especial care that the heart be affected; they who neglect this, may perhaps please men by an artificial sweetness of voice, but they will displease God by an odious impurity of heart. 4. What things are done for cheerfulness and relaxation of the mind by Christians, ought to be of such a kind as are agreeable to Christ and religion: we must therefore detest the madness of those who cannot be cheerful without the reproach of Christ and the ridicule of religion. (Bp. Davenant.)
The service of song a means of Christian edification:—Whenever a great quickening of religious life comes, a great burst of Christian song comes with it. The mediæval Latin hymns cluster round the early pure days of the monastic orders; Luther’s rough stormy hymns were as powerful as his treatises; the mystic tenderness and rapture of Charles Wesley have become the possession of the whole Church. The early hymns were of a dogmatic character. No doubt just as in many a missionary Church a hymn is found to be the best vehicle for conveying the truth, so it was in these early Churches, which were made up largely of slaves and women—both uneducated. “Singing the gospel” is a very old invention though the name be new. In these early communities Paul said, “Every one of you hath a psalm, a doctrine.” If a man had some fragment of an old psalm, or some strain that had come fresh from the Christian heart, he might sing it, and his brethren would listen. We do not have that sort of psalmody now. But what a long way we have travelled from it to a modern congregation, standing with books that they scarcely look at, and “worshipping” in a hymn which half of them do not open their mouths to sing at all, and the other half do in a voice inaudible three pews off. (A. Maclaren, D.D.) The hymnology of the Church has from the first been a most important element in her holy progress and means of usefulness. A large part of the Bible is poetry. Instruction thus conveyed aids the memory and makes a greater impression on the mind. How constantly did David find relief in expressing his hopes and fears, his joys and sorrows in song; and in the record of his experience how precious is the boon he has left for the instruction and encouragement of God’s children in all ages. There was a special impressiveness in the use of psalms and hymns in the early Church. The first forms of literature in every country and in great national movements are for the most part in song. Thus it was in Greece; thus it was in Scotland. Facts of history, deeds of prowess, wonderful providences, are handed down in song, and are in this form better remembered and more easily preserved. In our own day, with the power of the printing press, this may not be so necessary; but when books had to be copied in MS., and books were scanty, the citation of song and psalm formed an important element of instruction. It has been said, by a well-known author, that if he were allowed to make the songs of a nation, he cared not who made the laws. The hymns of the Church have often been as the very shrine of spiritual life, for the preservation of doctrine, and the means of progress. How many cares have been relieved by some well-known hymn? How many Christians have crossed the river strong in the faith with the words of some precious stanza on their tongues which they learnt in the Sunday school? (J. Spence, D.D.) Singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord.—Phrygia was proverbially a land of music. A music of wild excitement was used in the worship of Cybele, and of Salazion, the Phrygian Dionysos. Hence St. Paul might be the more anxious that Christian singing should be sweet and graceful in a Phryian Church. For a deep feeling of anxiety on the part of a ruler in the ancient Church that sacred song should be beautiful, see the story how Ignatius brought back the melody of angels heard in vision to his Church at Antioch (Socrates, Hist. vi. 8). Heartfelt singing is not voiceless singing (Psa. 111:1). The Psalmist’s praise was in his heart, but it must have been vocal also, for it was such praise as is offered in the “assembly.” The three conditions of sacred song are sweetness of vocal expression, fulness of inward devotion, direction to a Divine object. These are expressed in this clause. (1) As to outward expression—“gracefully, sweetly, so as to give pleasure and be attractive.” (2) As to inward devotion—“heartfelt.” (3) As to the Being addressed—“to the Lord.” The clue to the real meaning of the passage is to bear in mind that the apostle is speaking of singing as a Church duty, a part of the Church’s corporate life, a declaration of peace among her children, and a means of edification. The recognition of sweetness and pleasingness as an element of public worship is very interesting and important. Such care for singing, again, is quite of a piece with Paul’s high ideal of womanly grace and beauty in youth (1 Cor. 11:15), priestlike dignity in age (Titus 2:3), with his recognition of things “lovely” (Phil. 4:3), with his appeal to primary æsthetic instincts (1 Cor. 11:13), with his horror of “confusion” in public worship (1 Cor. 14:33), with the word for a grave and majestic beauty in public service expressed in that great foundation-rubric (1 Cor. 14:40). It shows how thoughtfully he considered local circumstances, and adapted his lessons to them. Phrygian music was apt to become the accompaniment of the passionate and unmanly wailing of Asian barbarism. As Plato says, “The Phrygian strain was adapted for sacred rites and fanatical excitement, being of almost frenzied wildness.” (Bp. Alexander.)
Power of a hymn:—On one of the days when President Garfield lay dying at the seaside, he was a little better, and was permitted to sit by the window, while Mrs. Garfield was in the adjoining room. Love, hope, and gratitude filled her heart as she sang the hymn commencing “Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah!” As the soft and plaintive notes floated into the sick chamber, the President turned his eyes up to Dr. Bliss, and asked, “Is that Crete” “Yes,” replied the doctor; “it is Mrs. Garfield.” “Quick, open the door a little,” anxiously responded the sick man. Dr. Bliss opened the door, and after listening a few moments Mr. Garfield exclaimed, as the large tears coursed down his sunken cheeks, “Glorious, Bliss, isn’t it?” (W. Baxendale.)
Power of a hymn:—A little boy came to one of our city missionaries, and holding out a dirty and well-worn bit of printed paper, said, “Please, sir, father sent me to get a clean paper like that.” Taking it from his hand the missionary found it was a bill with the hymn “Just as I am” printed upon it. He looked down into the little earnest face and asked the boy where he got it, and why he wanted a clean copy. “We found it, sir, in sister’s pocket after she died; and she used to sing it all the time she was sick, and loved it so much that father wanted to get a clean one to put in a frame to hang up. Won’t you give us one, sir?” (G. F. Pentecost, D.D.)
Saved by a hymn:—On board the ill-fated steamer Seawanhaka was one of the Fisk University singers. Before leaving the burning steamer and committing himself to the merciless waves, he carefully fastened upon himself and his wife life preservers. Some one cruelly dragged away that of his wife, leaving her without hope, except as she could cling to her husband. This she did, placing her hands firmly on his shoulders, and resting there until, her strength becoming exhausted, she said, “I can hold on no longer!” “Try a little longer,” was the response of the wearied and agonized husband, “let us sing ‘Rock of Ages.’ ” And as the sweet strains floated over the troubled waters, reaching the ears of the sinking and dying, little did they know, those sweet singers of Israel, whom they comforted. But, lo! as they sang, one after another of the exhausted ones were seen raising their heads above the overwhelming waves, joining with a last effort in the sweet, dying, pleading prayer, “Rock of Ages, cleft for me,” &c. With the song seemed to come strength; another and yet another was encouraged to renewed effort. Soon in the distance a boat was seen approaching! Could they hold out a little longer? Singing still, they tried, and soon with superhuman strength laid hold of the lifeboat, upon which they were borne in safety to land. This is no fiction; it was related by the singer himself, who said he believed Toplady’s sweet “Rock of Ages” saved many another besides himself and wife. And this was only salvation from temporal death I But, methinks, from the bright world yonder the good Toplady must be rejoicing that God ever taught him to write that hymn, which has helped to save so many from eternal death, as, catching its spirit, they have learned to cast themselves alone for help on that dear “Rock of Ages,”—cleft, sinner, for them, for you, and for me, and which ever stands rent asunder that it may shelter those who utter the cry, “Let me hide myself in Thee.” (Canadian Baptist).[6]
16. Paul has just been saying. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” At first glance a believer might well ask, however, “If I do this am I not building the edifice of my hope and trust upon a rather insecure, subjective foundation?” After further thought, however, he answers, “Not at all, for I have peace when in my inmost being I, by God’s sovereign grace, resolve to live in accordance with the objective word of Christ.” Verses 15 and 16 must therefore not be separated. By obedience to the gospel peace is conveyed to the heart. So Paul continues, Let the word of Christ dwell among you richly. The objective, special revelation that proceeds from (and concerns) Christ—“the Christ-word”—should govern every thought, word, and deed, yes even the hidden drives and motivations of every member, and thus should bear sway among them all, and this richly, “bearing much fruit” (John 15:5). This will happen if believers heed the word (Matt. 13:9), handle it rightly (2 Tim. 2:15), hide it in their hearts (Ps. 119:11), and hold it forth to others as being in truth “the word of life” (Phil. 2:16). Though when the apostle wrote this, “the word of Christ” had not yet been entrusted to the written page in the form and to the extent in which we now have it, this does not cancel the fact that for Paul and for all believers in his day as well as, in broader scope, for us today, “All scripture (is) God-breathed and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be equipped, for every good work thoroughly equipped” (see N.T.C. on 2 Tim. 3:16, 17). The logical continuation is: in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another.137
For the explanation of these words see on 1:28, where essentially the same thought is expressed in an almost identical statement. The differences are as follows: (1) in 1:28 the apostle relates what he, Timothy, etc., are doing; here (in Col. 3:16) he admonishes the Colossian believers what they should be doing. In both cases the content is the same: admonishing and teaching. Believers, by virtue of their “office” as believers—let them not forget that they are clothed with that office!—should do what Paul and his associates are doing by virtue of their office, respectively as apostle and apostolic delegates. Each person must do it in accordance with the rights and duties of his particular office. (2) In 1:28 the object is somewhat broader, “every man.” Here (Col. 3:16) the emphasis is rather on mutual teaching and admonition. And (3) in 1:28 the phrase “in all wisdom” is placed last. In the Colossian passage it is placed first, perhaps to underscore the thought conveyed in the immediately preceding adverb “richly,” as if to say, “If the word of Christ is to dwell among you richly, then in all wisdom you should admonish and teach each other.”
There is something else that should also be done if the word of Christ is to dwell among the Colossians richly. It is stated in these words: (and) by means of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs singing to God in a thankful spirit,139 with all your heart.
Paul clearly recognizes the edifying nature of God-glorifying singing. As to the meaning of the terms psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (see also Eph. 5:19) a little investigation quickly shows that it may not be easy to distinguish sharply between these three. It is possible that there is here some overlapping of meanings. Thus, in connection with psalms it is natural to think of the Old Testament Psalter, and, in support of this view, to appeal to Luke 20:42; 24:44; Acts 1:20; 13:33. So far there is no difficulty. However, expositors are by no means agreed that this can also be the meaning of the word psalm in 1 Cor. 14:26 (“When you assemble, each one has a psalm”).
As to hymns, in the New Testament the word hymn is found only in our present passage (Col. 3:16) and in Eph. 5:19. Augustine, in more than one place, states that a hymn has three essentials: it must be sung; it must be praise; it must be to God. According to this definition it would be possible for an Old Testament psalm, sung in praise to God, to be also a hymn. Thus when Jesus and his disciples were about to leave the Upper Room in order to go to the Mount of Olives, they “hymned” (Matt. 26:30; Mark 14:26). It is held by many that what they hymned was Psalm 115–118. According to Acts 16:25 in the Philippian prison Paul and Silas were hymning to God. Is it not altogether probable that some, if not all, of these hymns were psalms? Cf. also Heb. 2:12. But if Augustine’s definition is correct there are also hymns that do not belong to the Old Testament Psalter; such hymns as the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) and the Benedictus (Luke 1:68–79). Fragments of other New Testament hymns seem to be embedded in the letters of Paul (Eph. 5:14; Col. 1:15–20; 1 Tim. 3:16, and perhaps others).
The word song or ode (in the sense of poem intended to be sung) occurs not only in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 but also in Rev. 5:9; 14:3, where “the new song” is indicated, and in Rev. 15:3, where the reference is to “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,” These are not Old Testament Psalms. Moreover, a song or ode is not necessarily a sacred song. In the present case the fact that it is, indeed, sacred is shown by the addition of the adjective spiritual.
All in all, then, it would seem that when here in Col. 3:16 the apostle uses these three terms, apparently distinguishing them at least to some extent, the term psalms has reference, at least mainly, to the Old Testament Psalter; hymns mainly to New Testament songs of praise to God or to Christ; and spiritual songs mainly to any other sacred songs dwelling on themes other than direct praise to God or to Christ.
The point that must not be ignored is this, that these songs must be sung in a thankful spirit. The songs must be poured forth sincerely, rising from within the humbly grateful hearts of believers. It has been said that next to Scripture itself a good Psalter-Hymnal is the richest fountain of edification. Not only are its songs a source of daily nourishment for the church, but they also serve as a very effective vehicle for the outpouring of confession of sin, gratitude, spiritual joy, rapture. Whether sung in the regular worship-service on the Lord’s Day, at a midweek meeting, in social gatherings, in connection with family-worship, at a festive occasion, or privately, they are a tonic for the soul and promote the glory of God. They do this because they fix the interest upon the indwelling word of Christ, and carry the attention away from that worldly cacophony by which people with low moral standards are being emotionally overstimulated.
The passage under discussion has often been used in support of this or that theory with respect to what may or may not be sung in the official worship-service. Perhaps it is correct to say that the appeal is justified if one is satisfied with a few broad, general principles; for example, (1) In our services the psalms should not be neglected. (2) As to hymns, in the stricter sense of songs of praise, “It is probably true that a larger proportion of the religious poems which are used in public praise should be ‘hymns’ in the stricter sense. They should be addressed to God. Too many are subjective, not to say sentimental, and express only personal experiences and aspirations which are sometimes lacking in reality” Charles E. Erdman (op. cit., p. 91).
For the rest, it is well to bear in mind that Paul’s purpose is not to lay down detailed rules and regulations pertaining to ecclesiastical liturgy. He is interested in showing the Colossians and all those to whom or by whom the letter would be read how they may grow in grace, and may manifest rightly the power of the indwelling word. His admonition, therefore, can be applied to every type of Christian gathering, whether on the Sabbath or during the week, whether in church or at home or anywhere else.[7]
[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1992). Colossians (pp. 159–160). Moody Press.
[3] McKnight, S. (2018). The Letter to the Colossians (N. B. Stonehouse, F. F. Bruce, G. D. Fee, & J. B. Green, Eds.; pp. 328–333). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
1 Kings 7:1 — 1 Kings 6:38 says Solomon spent seven years building the temple, but we contrast that with how long he spent building his house. The temple was 60x20x30 cubits (1 Kings 6:2), while Solomon’s house was 100x50x30 cubits … approximately 4x the cubic volume.
1 Kings 7:42 — Why does God give all these details? Remember Exodus 28:2 and Exodus 28:40? For glory and for beauty. God designs beautiful things for us to enjoy and appreciate.
Acts 7:32 — Stephen reiterates the message Peter preached in Acts 3:22 – “… Him shall ye hear.” This is the key messianic prophecy of the early New Testament age; Deuteronomy 18:15 and Deuteronomy 18:18 is the source.
Acts 7:39 — “… would not obey …” is a dominant theme found in the Bible.
Acts 7:41 — Aaron claimed he cast the gold into the fire and “there came out this calf (Exodus 32:24),” but Exodus 32:4 states he fashioned it with a graving tool and made the molten calf. Here Stephen reiterates the disobedience of his people.
Acts 7:45 — Jesus and Joshua are the same name, just transliterated from Greek to Hebrew to English.
Acts 7:49 — Why the mention of the temple? Because the charge was of destroying the Temple (Acts 6:14). Stephen shows that the Old Testament allowed the Temple but did not command a Temple.
Psalm 128:1 — Next time, I’m going to keep track of how many times we’re reminded to obey the Lord, walk in His ways, etc.
Proverbs 16:33 — The control of the Virginia House of Representatives in 2017 was settled by a coin toss. Read in USA Today how people are relegating important decisions to “chance” today, but remember that even “chance” is of the Lord.
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
This is tantamount to a promise: if we will bow down, the Lord will lift us up. Humility leads to honor; submission is the way to exaltation. That same hand of God which presses us down is waiting to raise us up when we are prepared to bear the blessing. We stoop to conquer. Many cringe before men and yet miss the patronage they crave; but he that humbles himself under the hand of God shall not fail to be enriched, uplifted, sustained, and comforted by the ever-gracious One. It is a habit of Jehovah to cast down the proud and lift up the lowly.
Yet there is a time for the Lord’s working. We ought now to humble ourselves, even at this present moment; and we are bound to keep on doing so whether the Lord lays His afflicting hand upon us or not. When the Lord smites, it is our special duty to accept the chastisement with profound submission. But as for the Lord’s exaltation of us, that can only come “in due time,” and God is the best judge of that day and hour. Do we cry out impatiently for the blessing? Would we wish for untimely honor? What are we at? Surely we are not truly humbled, or we should wait with quiet submission. So let us do.
Rather than equipping the saints, too often, we tell those we lead what to think, what to do, and how to do it. Do you have a healthy church? Take this checkup to find out.
Do you have a healthy church? Take this checkup to find out.
I will never forget this crazy situation I experienced in middle school. I was in the 7th grade and attending an American School while living in Germany. My father was in the Army, and I was a military brat. The school was pretty small, so we only had a few classes for each grade. For reasons never explained to us students, the faculty decided to reconfigure each class based upon learning need criteria. More simply put, the three classes would be set up based on how students performed. “A“ students would be in one class, “B” students in another, and “C“ students in the final group. It was the eighties, so no one really pushed back on this. We were told that we would all take tests and the results would place us in our new classes. On the day of the test, the teacher of my class looked over the results as we were handing them in and frowned.
“No,” he yelled, “this is not going to work!” He handed our tests back and, holding the answer key, told us to erase any wrong answers and replace them with the correct solution. We were dumbfounded but also pretty excited to be experiencing this wholesale upheaval of the rules in our favor. It was like we had won the lottery. I was especially thrilled because if my past grades were to be the actual indicator, I would have been a shoo-in for the “C” class. As it turned out, every single one of us got into the “A” class. I’d like to say something happened and the teacher was ratted out, and everything was returned to a fair and just teaching system. But that never happened, and I spent my 7th and 8th-grade years in a class with students who had been given the answers. We will never know who “belonged” in the class because our circumstances delivered the answers. I want to think this situation drove some of us to achieve at a higher rate but who knows. When it came to this critical crossroads of our learning, we were simply given the answers. We passed the test and did well on it because we were told what to write. But few of us could actually apply or reiterate what we had learned. This whole experience shortchanged us as students, even though it felt great at the time, there was a long-term impact on my progress. You can’t just skip learning fundamental basics and expect to excel. We were not equipped, we were handed the answers and told what to do with them
While this is an atypical story (I hope), I feel like I have experienced it again and again in the church. Rather than equipping the Saints, too often we tell those we lead what to think, what to do, and how to do it. I typically hate it when someone makes me work through whatever question I have rather than just giving me the answer, but the truth is that until I have struggled through it, I really don’t know how it connects.
We teach our people in Sunday school/small groups. We teach them in our worship services. When they ask questions, we most often hand them the right answer. But in order to equip, we must go farther than teaching information and press into showing them how to apply it. Matthew 28 is clear, “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you,” says Jesus. Notice He doesn’t say, “teach them to understand everything I have commanded you,” or “teach them to know everything thing I have commanded you.”
No, He says, “teach them to obey…” That means we have to put it into action. That means we have to help people connect the truth of Christ’s words with the actions that go with that understanding. That is what equipping is. So, do you have a healthy church when it comes to equipping the Saints? Here are a few questions to mull over:
How many environments in your ministry are focused on student/learner?
Are your people aware of what their next step is in their journey as a believer no matter where they currently are?
Are your staff or key leaders doing the majority of the work of the ministry?
These basic diagnostic questions, if answered honestly, will help you determine if you need to take a deep dive on implementing more equipping and transition away from mere teaching. A healthy church equips the Saints to do the work of the ministry. Do you have a healthy church in this area?
This article about having a healthy church originally appeared here
The Judgment Seat of Christ is one of the most underestimated, under-preached subjects in the entire Bible.
“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:12). The Judgment Seat of Christ is one of the most underestimated, under-preached subjects in the entire Bible.
What is the Judgment Seat of Christ? It’s where all believers in Jesus will stand before him and give an account for every action, thought, and motive we ever had as Christians.
This judgment is not to determine entrance into Heaven—that was decided on the day you put your faith in Jesus to save you. There will be a different judgment, often called the Great White Throne Judgment, that will grant entrance to Heaven to those whose names are written in the Book of Life and send those who didn’t trust in Christ for salvation to eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
But the Judgment Seat of Christ will determine the amount of rewards believers will carry with them forever in Heaven (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). This judgment will determine whether or not you’ll hear Him say: “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
Rewards That Never End
Don’t buy the myth that you’ll cast all your crowns before the throne of Christ. That comes from a poor interpretation of Revelation 4:8-11.
You won’t.
You’ll carry these rewards throughout eternity, and when you look at them, you’ll remember Jesus saying, “well done.”
You’ll remember the smile on Jesus’s face when he gave them to you. God’s rewards program has no expiration date—these heavenly rewards will be eternal symbols of your earthly faithfulness.
It should cause us to tremble too. But it should also motivate us.
While waiting in a Roman prison to be beheaded, Paul excitedly penned some of his final words:
I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
This year on Nov. 9, during our global event Dare 2 Share LIVE, we’ll show a powerful drama about the Judgment Seat of Christ that will inspire teenagers and adults to strive for heavenly rewards.
Go to Dare2sharelive.org to sign up for more information about this global day of youth evangelism. But more than anything, choose to live your life to win that crown, to see that smile, and to hear those eternally satisfying words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
“They Can’t Afford To Lose Their Grip On The Levers Of Power…” Time To Jettison The Animals “The old left had intellectual commitments that were false in interesting and theoretically stimulating ways. The new left demands adherence to lurid absurdities so preposterous that merely entertaining them induces nauseating neurological disorders.” The most astounding part of America’s “Joe Biden” three-plus-years thrill ride is that the Party of Chaos and Hoaxes was able to pretend until just a few days ago that this political phantasm could run for re-election.
SPILLING THE BEANS Individual Claiming To Be Juror’s Cousin Posted About Trump Conviction On Social Page Before Verdict, Judge Says “My cousin is a juror and says Trump is getting convicted,” the commenter said, adding a celebration emoji. “Thank you folks for all your hard work!!!! <3”
US concerns mounting over Hezbollah-Israel escalation amid Gaza ceasefire talks “If things carry on as they have been, then sooner or later, the Israelis will do something about it,” one diplomat told Al Arabiya English. Al Arabiya English has reached out to the National Security Council and the State Department for comment.
Public Celebration Of Sin: The Episcopal ‘Church’ Shows Pride In Their Apostasy “Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32, emphasis added). According to God’s Word, it is a sin to give approval to those who practice sin. Yes, the Episcopal church is showing its apostasy …..
Archaeologists discover ‘anomaly’ beneath Giza pyramid complex An international team of archaeologists from Japan and Egypt has discovered what they describe as an underground “anomaly” near the iconic pyramid complex of Giza in Egypt. The complex, where members of the royal family and senior officials were buried, is located about 8 km from the city of Giza on the Nile and about 25 km southwest of central Cairo.
‘Associated Press’ blasts own reporting on Hamas casualty statistics David Adesnik, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JNS that the scrutiny of Hamas’s false claims about its own numbers is long overdue. “It’s a pretty stunning admission,” Adesnik said. “It’s probably not going to compensate for them repeating for months after months, time after time that 70% of the victims were women and children, but I guess better late than never.”
Danish PM assaulted in Copenhagen Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was assaulted by a man in Copenhagen on Friday, The incident occurred at the Kultorvet public square in Copenhagen, Frederiksen was in shock after the incident, police and her office said. It was unclear whether she was injured by the attacker.
IDF identifies 8 more terrorists eliminated in Nuseirat strike The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced on Friday that, over the past day, the IDF Intelligence Directorate and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) confirmed the identities of eight additional terrorists who were eliminated in a precise strike on their base of operations in an UNRWA school in Nuseirat on Thursday morning.
UAE calls Palestinian Authority a ‘den of thieves’ UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan last month called the leadership of the Palestinian Authority “Ali Baba and the forty thieves,” speaking during a meeting of Arab countries that was attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “Why would the UAE give assistance to the Palestinian Authority without real reforms?” asked Abdullah.
Tachles with Aviel – No trust in Arabs Israelis have lost faith that they can ever live in peace with the Palestinians. October 7th has destroyed all remaining trust.
Biden: Forget ceasefire – Focus on Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine Biden has misleadingly claimed that Israel has offered a roadmap leading to an enduring ceasefire in Gaza: Biden’s assertion that this latest ceasefire proposal has emanated from Israel – has not been confirmed by Israel – as the Times of Israel reports:
United Nations to put Israel on blacklist of countries harming children in conflict zones The Jewish state added to list that includes terrorist groups al-Qaeda, ISIS and Boko Haram Despite Israel’s weeks-long efforts to dissuade Guterres from taking this step, Israel is expected to be included on the list to be published next week as part of a report to the UN Security Council,
Biden DOJ indicts doctor who exposed transgender child mutilation at Texas hospital ‘It’s clear that the Biden administration is using its Department of Justice to punish its political opponents. It’s the very definition of abusive power,’ the Heritage Foundation’s Jay Richards said in response to the indictment of Dr. Eithan Haim.
Popular podcast host calls out Gov. Walz for poor governance, refusal to come on show “This state has become a bleep show since you became governor, and you’ve proven to be the worst governor in the history of the state,” said host Joe Soucheray. “we do not have to live this way” in reference to the murder of Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, host Joe Soucheray retorted, “here’s the problem, Governor. We are living that way.” You’ve stepped on your feet too many times to be taken seriously. I don’t know how you had the balls to even show up there and say, ‘we shouldn’t have to live this way.’ This is the way we live, Governor!”
Retail Bloodbath: More Than 2,600 Store Closings Have Been Announced So Far In 2024 Retail stores are being shut down at a staggering rate all over the country. If we stay on the pace that we are on, the total number of stores closed in 2024 will be nearly 40 percent higher than the total number of stores closed in 2023. That is what you call a crisis! Meanwhile, banks are shuttering hundreds of branches from coast to coast, and a “restaurant apocalypse” is sweeping across the nation.
Portugal Tightens Migration Policy Under New Right-Leaning Government Portugal’s new center-right government, led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), has announced plans to tighten immigration rules. This move follows significant gains by the country’s conservative opposition party, Chega, in recent elections, which campaigned on massively restricting migration.
The bird flu operation is looking like a repeat of the covid operation. So are the vaccines safe? This week the World Health Organisation warned that bird flu has a “potential for high public health impact.” This spurious claim came after a Mexican died after testing positive for bird flu. All indications are that a potential bird flu pandemic is a wash, rinse and repeat of the falsified covid pandemic. With covid, one of the objectives was to vaccinate the world, and it seems bird flu also has this in common with covid. The vaccines for covid were unsafe. So, are the bird flu vaccines safe?
Musk’s X Appears to Permit Porn Under New Rules. The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, now permits porn. The social media site has updated its guidelines to permit the sharing of “consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior.” Under the new guidelines, this material must be labeled appropriately and cannot appear in prominent locations such as profile pictures or banners.
BOYTCOTT COMING? Walmart Introduces Gay LGBT Pride Collection Wow. This is just another confirmation that corporate America is all about shoving their LGBT agenda down everyone’s throat. The latest retail giant that’s been activated to make the push is Walmart. They just launched a new collection of merchandise promoting gay- and lesbian-owned companies.
US Bombers Drop Live Munitions In Threat To North Korea Two US B-1 strategic bombers dropped live munitions on the Korean Peninsula in a show of force eyeing Pyongyang. Tensions in the region have ratcheted up during the Biden administration as the president has taken a hardline approach toward the DPRK.
MARK ALEXANDER “The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. … And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.”
“Eighty years ago today, thousands of brave Americans fought to protect democracy on the shores of Normandy. This November, all we have to do is vote.” —Hillary Clinton
“We’re living in a time when democracy is more at risk across the world than any point since the end of the World War II, since these beaches were stormed.” —Joe Biden on D-Day
Theater of the Absurd
“The same resolve that the extraordinary men and women that we’re celebrating today showed then [D-Day], [Biden] is showing now.” —Secretary of State Antony Blinken
The BIG Lies
“Under my leadership, we were well positioned to respond to COVID-19.” —Anthony Fauci
“The NIH did not fund gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.” —Anthony Fauci
“None on my part. … I’ve kept an open mind throughout the entire process.” —Anthony Fauci when asked, “Do you agree that there was a push to downplay the lab leak theory?”
Demagogues
“I did my job. Our job is to follow the facts and the law without fear or favor, and that’s exactly what we did here.” —Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg regarding the Trump trial
“There is only one tier of justice. … We don’t give any benefit to a powerful person over a non-powerful person, any benefit to a Democrat over a Republican.” —Attorney General Merrick Garland
“After careful deliberation, the jury reached a unanimous verdict. They found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts. … It’s reckless, it’s dangerous, it’s irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict.” —Joe Biden
“The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed.” —Joe Biden
“Not at all. I didn’t do anything wrong.” —Joe Biden when asked, “Are you worried that this could happen to you someday — somebody comes up with some charges and tries to bring you in to court after your term?”
Baghdad Bob
“There is one candidate standing up for the rule of law, standing up for our democratic institutions, defending our Constitution, defending our democracy, and that’s Joe Biden.” —Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler
Swampthink
“Yes, of course. This verdict … was a validation of the American judicial system.” —House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) when asked, “There are questions about the validity of the … untested legal theory that was used… Would this case have been brought against anyone other than former President Trump?”
Lack of Self-Awareness Awards
“The justice system should be respected, and we should never allow anyone to tear it down. It’s as simple as that.” —Joe Biden
“If Trump wins, he could weaponize U.S. spy services against his domestic political enemies, former intel officers warn.” —NBC News
“Trump’s attacks on US justice system after his conviction could be used by autocrats, say experts.” —Associated Press
Projection
“It’s conservatives … who want to lock everybody up, including Hillary Clinton. That’s not the way I feel as a liberal. And I don’t want to inflict any suffering on anybody.” —Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD)
Braying Jenny
“They’re talking about revenge and I think that that’s dangerous. [Trump’s] even mentioned civil war at one point, talked about there would be bloodshed. I am going to spend some time with the criminal justice system, with the justice system, asking them, ‘Tell us what’s going on with the domestic terrorists. Are they preparing a civil war against us? Should we be concerned about our safety? What is he doing with this divisive language?'” —Congresswoman Maxine “You Tell Them They’re Not Welcome” Waters (D-CA)
Useful Idiot
“The answer is it’s uncertain.” —Joe Biden when asked, “Have Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza?”
“There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.” —Joe Biden when asked, “Some in Israel have suggested that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation. Do you believe that?”
More BIG Lies
“The president of the United States has been working to lower costs.” —Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu
“Campaigns do NOT work with media to pay off sources to suppress stories. It is not normal. It does not happen.” —MSNBC’s Jen Psaki
“I’ve known [Vladimir Putin] for over 40 years. He’s concerned me for 40 years.” —Joe Biden
“We are constantly and will continuously look at all options to try and really deal with the immigration system.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
“I’ve come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refuse to do: take the necessary steps to secure our border. … I’m moving past Republican obstruction and using the executive authorities available to me as president to do what I can on my own to address the border. … Republicans have left me with no choice. … I’m doing my part. We’re doing our part. Congressional Republicans should do their part.” —Joe Biden
“Due to the arrangements that I’ve reached with [Mexican] President [Andrés Manuel López] Obrador, the number of migrants coming… to our shared border unlawfully in recent months has dropped dramatically.” —Joe Biden
Gaslighting
“To protect America as a land that welcomes immigrants, we must first secure the border and secure it now. … Doing nothing is not an option. We have to act.” —Joe Biden
Race Bait
“The governors of Texas and Florida … sent the problem, if you want to call it a problem, of undocumented people, and they’ve shipped them all over the country like the old, you know, segregationists … used to put black people on buses and say, ‘Hey, let’s send them to your city so that you’ll be upset.'” —MSNBC’s Joy Reid
Dumb & Dumber
“I can tell you that he is sharper than ever.” —Biden campaign spokeswoman Adrienne Elrod
“I don’t even know what that question means.” —Adrienne Elrod when asked, “How much should a candidate’s cognitive function factor into that decision when someone votes?”
“I’ve spent time with every House speaker over the past 30 years and Joe Biden. It’s just not close. If you want to talk about international affairs, if you want to talk about how to get bipartisan legislation, Joe Biden is light years ahead of all of them.” —MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough
Belly Laughs of the Week
“Look, I know I’m accused of being a congenital optimist.” —Joe Biden
“This campaign is under no false illusion that the media is going to do our jobs for us.” —Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler
Years ago, I did my first acting stint in kindergarten, as the lead in Peter Rabbit. I had no speaking lines. I simply dressed in a rabbit costume and hopped across the stage. It wasn’t a cool pink costume like the one Ralphie wore in A Christmas Story. It was the normal white costume with a rather large puff ball for a tail.
Over the years, as I continued through school, I enjoyed my foray into acting. I played William Tell’s son in a stage production in 4th grade. I continued acting throughout school and then stopped. However, after a number of years, I went back into it, first auditioning for roles in community theater of which I managed to nail down several good roles.
Then came my interest in obtaining a theatrical agent and before I knew it, I was auditioning for commercials and print media. I booked several and the hunt was on for more paid gigs. The next branch of my entertainment endeavors led me into auditioning for and even booking several independent movie roles. Beyond this, because of my agent, I also booked several background/stand-in roles in larger movies. In fact, I arrived to the point where I’m actually SAG-eligible. That means that I can audition for SAG projects if I want to and if selected, I would have to join SAG immediately. Guess what? I’m not at all interested in joining SAG nor am I interested in auditioning for any more projects in Hollywood, period.
At one point, I was seriously considering moving to Los Angeles to pursue my “dreams” without hesitation. However, I had begun at that time to see Hollywood for what it was – a dog eat dog, morally corrupt cesspool or immorality I’d ever seen. It was funny though because acting, in and of itself, can be really fun. All too often though, actors begin to take themselves way too seriously and believe their own press.
As I look back on my acting endeavors, I realize that the Lord allowed me a good amount of rope to check things out, but fortunately, not enough rope to hang myself. Now, when I consider the field of acting, I really have to laugh. Actors essentially pretend they’re something they’re not. If they do it convincingly enough, they can make huge sums of money. Of course, fame comes with that as well as do expensive homes, cars, trips and everything else.
Decades and decades ago, Hollywood had a distinct air of respectability. By and large, the actors who were known and loved were so because of the image they projected to the public in their movies. Most actors then wanted to be seen as moral, good, loving, a family man or woman and in general, conservative politically. In the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s, conservatism in America was the main political push. So, if an actor wanted to be fully accepted, but had leftist leanings, they had to at least publicly pretend they themselves were conservative. If the public started to think they were on the Left politically, they would lose fans. If they lost fans, their movies would not sell as well and box office receipts would suffer. If that went on long enough, those particular actors might lose their contracts with the studios.
Today, when we consider Hollywood, it is clear that something has drastically changed over the years and not for the better. In fact, I’ve read about numerous celebs today (from their own words on their social media accounts), who have stated that because they are conservative, their managers essentially told them that they could not work with them anymore because studios would not. It made no sense for managers or agents to have conservative actors on their list if studios were not the least bit interested in auditioning them for roles. So, they were effectively let go.
Let’s be honest here. Hollywood of yesteryear was a fraud, but it was a generally well-protected fraud that few knew of outside of the Hollywood system. There were plenty of people then who worked behind the scenes in Hollywood who were not conservative. Gay and lesbian people often were involved in the behind the scenes in Hollywood for dancing, costuming/wardrobe, set design, etc. If an actor offended one of them, there was a good chance that actor didn’t continue working in Hollywood even back in the 30’s or 40’s.
In some cases, some major names of the old age silver screen and silent films were gay men. Though the public didn’t necessarily know, the actors received a good deal of flack from the crews but in the end, that actor usually won out and on some occasions, got certain crew members fired and replaced.
But again, in those days, all of this was in the background. The public heard little to nothing of it. When something did come out, the big Hollywood studios would immediately send in their “fixers” to cover things over smoothly if one of the big studio actors did something stupid. There were plenty of them who did apparently.
I’m amazed at the stories I’ve read about people like Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant and a plethora of others who allegedly dabbled in homosexuality or bisexuality or were wife beaters or something else. The public then had no clue but over the years, tell all books have been published and to my knowledge, no one has been sued. There is probably merit to at least some of the stories.
But what exactly changed in Hollywood? How did it go from uplifting escapism and fun in the early days to today where everything is so dark and woke? When I think of going to see a newly released movie, I find I’d rather stick hot needles in my eyes. So what changed?
As far as my understanding goes, the silent behind the scenes majority of gay/lesbian/Leftist set designers, costume designers and wardrobe people and dancers became far more powerful over the years. These folks realized that if not for them and their silence, Hollywood would not be able to have presented itself as so squeaky clean to the world. It seems as though those folks used it to their advantage it and gained much more power. They then began to gain positions of absolute power in Hollywood where they became the person who decides who gets chosen for a particular movie role. They also became heads of studios wielding even more power.
The “casting couch” was not a figment of anyone’s imagination. It was very real. I’ve read stories of what Shirley Temple’s mother (and Shirley) herself went through! Why they didn’t turn their backs on Hollywood is beyond me but maybe it’s that addictive?
Because these folks gained more power in Hollywood, they were able to dictate what they wanted and what they expected. Do you think just anyone, regardless of how talented they are, can make it in Hollywood? That’s laughable. What Hollywood looks for first and foremost are people who will side with gays and lesbians (and now transgenders). They can make anyone look talented.
I saw a short video on a Telegram channel highlighting numerous A-list celebs all warning about Donald Trump – how bad he is, how he must be excoriated, and how he must go to prison, etc. I’m sure some of those celebs actually believe the tripe they are selling. But the bottom line is that they do and say what they do and say so that they will be guaranteed another acting job. It’s really as simple as that. There’s no other motivation at all other than following the money. Every time I see a celeb doing something like that (and decades ago, a celeb would not be caught dead involved in such a project), here’s what I hear them saying:
(Actor) Hi, I’m (so and so) and I’m here to tell you that even if I don’t like doing this type of “PSA,” I do it because my career means more to me than anything. I don’t consider myself lying (if I don’t believe what I’m saying). I’m acting. It’s what I do and it has made me very rich.
I know that if I do not involve myself in this type of project, producers and agents will stop calling me for new projects. Since the old studio system is gone, there are no guarantees in Hollywood, so I whore myself out to the highest bidder (unless that bidder is conservative). It is by doing this type of project that I prove to those in power in Hollywood that I am willing to sell myself in order to keep working in Hollywood.
You know what? It works too because I keep working. I keep making lots of money, which allows me to continue living the life I’m used to living. I know that decades ago, celebrities like me kept tight-lipped about their political beliefs, but Hollywood has changed a great deal. Now, if you want to work, you have to prove in any number of ways that you’re willing to embarrass yourself by doing some stupid, politically motivated project that allows people to believe you are thoroughly Leftwing.
Fortunately, I am Leftwing but I still don’t like doing these projects because I realize that I am potentially alienating at least part of my fan base. But do I want to keep working? Yes, so I do these political projects. Don’t hate me. Just understand that I really love money, fame and the ability to purchase what I want to purchase without concern. So, I do these projects.
So, Dear Hollywood, please understand that many of us see what you’ve become and we find it nauseating. It is impossible for many of us to watch a new movie without thinking, “What a bunch of fakers! Not even good actors!” and “I’m so tired of these woke messages they are trying to brainwash me with!”
We also realize that we are the strong ones. You, on the other hand, are incredibly weak because you love money, fame and fortune and are willing to sell yourself like prostitutes to keep that flow of money coming in. In Ancient Rome, actors were considered to be on the same level as prostitutes. An actor’s job is to sell something he or she is not, but to make it believable, for the sake of the project.
Being an actor in Hollywood is really stepping into an illusion that has absolutely no bearing on reality anymore. It’s not escapism. It’s clearly what Hollywood wants to see take shape throughout society and in that sense, they are in lock-step with globalists who endeavor to change this world to their liking. It wouldn’t surprise me if more and more celebs start getting flack from people they meet on the streets for their wokism.
Decades ago, people understood that escapist fare was the reason for Hollywood, so people could leave behind the monotony of their daily lives for a few hours. Now, Hollywood has become synonymous with that very same monotony. Hollywood has spent so much time and money trying to appear real and authentic, they failed to realize that people see through it. Is this why so many new movies are bombing? Too many people just don’t care about Hollywood or the celebs who stand up and try to tell us who we should be and why we’re wrong if we don’t think as they think.
I’ve been done with Hollywood. There’s absolutely nothing there for me. It’s like binging on watching people eat bugs and loving it. Oh wait, Nicole Kidman has already done that in a recent video…Today’s Hollywood is nothing more than a brainwashing service for globalists.
Hollywood has ZERO moral compass, but yet, Hollywood believes they can and should dictate how people should think, speak and live. If we do it their way, they’ll create movies showing conservative characters being emotionally dismantled by woke mobs until that conservative learns that caving into those demands is the only way to survive in society and then turns around and thanks the Left for “waking” them up.
We conservatives are done with Hollywood, the threats and demands from the Left and kowtowing to woke mobs. No, we still won’t go looking for trouble like BLM and AntiFa, but if trouble comes looking for us, we will respond to it. We’re not cowards as the Left are cowards who gather in large groups with weapons to burn down something if they’re upset.
Donald Trump was recently found guilty of 34 felonies in a deranged court of law fare. I didn’t see any conservatives take to the streets, overturn cars, block traffic, burn down buildings, fight the police or use violent means to make a point. That’s reserved for the “summer of love” Leftists only, apparently, who caused billions of dollars in damage not to mention harm to innocent people.
It was also recently discovered that some family member allegedly connected to one of the jurors in that same Trump trial had posted a comment days before the guilty verdict came through that Donald Trump was going to be found guilty. How did the person know? Because his family member was supposedly on the jury and told him. If this is actually true, then certainly a mistrial should be declared but will corrupt judge Merchan do that? Let’s say he does and Trump’s trial is declared a mistrial. What will happen?
We can likely expect Leftists to gather, protest, use violence and even start to burn things down while calling to defund the police. This is what they did when convicted felon George Floyd was killed, yet these same people will tell you that it is disgraceful for anyone to support a convicted felon like Trump to be president of the USA. Democrats took a KNEE for George Floyd! He became their hero and statues have been made of that guy, the guy who had a rap sheep a mile long and held a pregnant woman at gunpoint in her own home.
Dear Hollywood, we all hope your woke system of lies, smears and censorship gets flushed down the toilet like all other human waste. We don’t take our orders from Hollywood nor do we care what anyone in Hollywood has to say. We won’t miss Hollywood when it happens.
GAZA — The Gaza Health Ministry announced that Israeli soldiers killed eight billion innocent women, children and puppies today during the rescue operation where four hostages were freed.
“With the battle having ended twelve seconds ago, we can now confirm that exactly eight billion people are dead,” said Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ismail al-Thawabta. “They were all of course civilians, we’ve never seen such carnage, the hospital is overwhelmed, et cetera, you guys know the drill.”
According to sources inside Gaza, the hostages were doing great and enjoying a nice game of Parcheesi when the mean ol’ Israeli Defense Forces showed up and started dropping thermonuclear weapons on daycares. “Hamas, of course, offered to kindly hand back the hostages and be friends, but the Israelis just kept senselessly shooting children and puppies,” said al-Thawabta. “Then they bombed a school, a mosque, a nursery, an animal shelter, and a playground. We will now cut to some footage of women weeping over invisible corpses.”
The Health Ministry states that the attack has once again left Gaza on the brink of collapse. “We can confirm that for the 173rd day in a row, Gaza only has 24 hours of fuel left before the power goes out and another billion children die,” said Hamas spokesman Mohammed al-Insa. “We are also starving and demand sushi instead of the crap Israel has been sending us. Dynamite roll, please, if it’s not too much trouble.”
At publishing time, the Gaza Health Ministry had announced that a terrorist tunnel destroyed by the IDF was actually housing another billion children who were all now dead.
We asked Trump to narrate 7 more famous historic battles, and the result was tremendous and magnificent. Everyone says so.
Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday delivered statements to the press following a parade procession to the Elysée Palace.
Saturday’s presser was part of Biden’s 5-day trip to France where he attended D-Day ceremonies in Normandy and held meetings with Emmanuel Macron.
Biden claimed he’s a “student of French history” during Saturday’s presser.
“It was a moving experience for a student of French history to be at the Champs-Élysées today. It was a moving experience for the whole delegation,” Biden said.
Biden is a student of French history, was raised by Puerto Ricans, attended a black church growing up, and was a star football player.
Joe Biden once again claimed that (non-existent) climate change is “the only existential threat to humanity, including nuclear weapons.”
“And the existential threat of climate change, which is just growing greater. We’re working together to accelerate the global transition to net zero. It is the only existential threat to humanity including nuclear weapons,” Biden said.
WATCH:
Biden claims climate change is "the only existential threat to humanity, including nuclear weapons" pic.twitter.com/yF7T16Rhwj
After incoherently rambling through his statement, Biden shuffled away without answering any questions.
WATCH:
Biden — after rambling through a few minutes of incoherent remarks — shuffles out of his "press statement" without taking questions pic.twitter.com/1JUHSkVRfJ
Israeli forces have rescued four hostages from two locations in the central Gaza area of Nuseirat. NEWSMAX Jerusalem Correspondent Daniel Cohen has the detai…
The recent decision by Washington and its allies in Europe to allow Kiev to use Western-supplied weapons for long-range strikes deep into Russian territory shows that Ukraine’s backers“do not want peace,”Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Saturday.
His was referring to a recent series of statements from the US, UK, Germany, and other Western nations, in which their leaders said that Kiev can now use weapons supplied by them in strikes targeting internationally recognized Russian territory.
Earlier this week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the move a way to ensure peace, claiming that Russia’s potential success on the battlefield is the biggest threat to peace on the continent.
The Kremlin responded to the Western statements by accusing NATO of provoking a new“round of tensions.”In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that using long-range weapons against Russia would have“serious consequences”for the West.
These types of actions by the US and its allies are bound to lead to a further escalation of tensions between Moscow and the West, Fico warned, adding that he does not want his nation to take part in such“military adventures.”
“The Western [nations] do not want peace, but an escalation of tensions with the Russian Federation, which will surely happen,”the Slovak prime minister said in a Facebook post.
Fico called on his fellow countrymen to vote in theEuropean
Parliament election and back candidates that“support peace initiatives and not the continuation of war.”
The remarks come just days after another statement in which he said the EU and NATO have“sanctified the concept of the single correct opinion – namely that the war in Ukraine must continue at any cost in order to weaken the Russian Federation.”Anyone who does not agree is automatically branded a“Russian agent,”he added.
On Saturday, another European leader – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban – warned that the West is“within centimeters of a direct conflict”with Russia, adding that both the EU and US desperately need pro-peace forces to come to power in order to avoid further escalation. He went on to claim that the West could reach a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict“within 24 hours”if only it has the will to do so.
Scripture tells us that Satan is the father of lies. He tempted the first two humans with lies that brought death. And Satan continues to convince us of lies today—rejoicing in the catastrophic results. On this week’s “Truths That Transform,” we will expose one lie that has led our nation into chaos and another lie that is one of the deadliest beliefs in history.
President Joe Biden has been accused of plagiarizing a speech by the late former President Ronald Reagan in a speech he gave inFrance
.
The speech was made on Thursday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. The speeches shared online side by side showed the similarities between the two speeches,” Fox Newsreported, adding:
“At last the hour had come. Dawn. Sixth of June, 1944,” Biden began, similar to Reagan’s speech, in which he said, “At dawn on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944.”
Biden said, “Two hundred and twenty-five American Rangers arrived by ship, jumped into the waves and stormed the beach,” compared to Reagan who said, “Two hundred and twenty-five Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs.”
“They launched their ladders, their ropes and grappling hooks, and they began to climb,” Biden said, compared to Reagan who said, “They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up.”
“When the Nazis cut their ladders, the Rangers used the ropes, and the Nazis cut the ropes,” Biden said. “The Rangers used their hands.”
Reagan’s speech said, “When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again.”
Biden continued, “And inch by inch, foot by foot, yard by yard, the Rangers clawed, literally clawed their way up this mighty precipice until at last they reached the top.”
Reagan said, “Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top.”
“They breached Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, and they turned, in that one effort, the tide of the war that began to save the world,” Biden said.
“And in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent ofEurope
Days before the speech,h Politico reported, “Biden Seeks His Gipper Moment. [Aides] have studied the Reagan trip closely and are looking to similarly capture the attention of a distracted, disillusioned public and remind them of how much is still at stake.”
Mediaite attacked conservative Clay Travis for accusing President Biden of plagiarism, but as Travis said on X, formerly Twitter, the president has a history of plagiarism.
“Joe Biden, a man with a well established history of plagiarism in his speeches, went to the same location and used the same language, description and tone of a forty year year old speech by Ronald Reagan. How does the media cover it? By attacking me for pointing it out,” he said.
Many others joined in on the criticism of President Biden.
“Those of us who know history remember that Biden had to drop out of a POTUS run due to plagiarism. He lies, he copies other people’s work as his own, he is nothing but a fake, a phony and a career grifter,” one X usersaid.
“Plagiarism isn’t anything new for this guy devoid of any kind of profound intellect. In a way it’s a compliment to Ronald Reagan and his speechwriter in choosing to use the speech knowing his own writers were DEI hires,” anothersaid.
“If you ever needed more proof that Joe Biden is being sabotaged from within his own administration, here you go. There is zero chance he is writing his own speeches. Someone loaded up Ronald Reagan’s 1984 speech at Pointe du Hoc today in Normandy,” another usersaid.
“Ronald Reagan gave the best D-Day speech in history. President Biden planarized it for his D-Day speech. Remember Biden was forced out of the Presidential campaign in 1987 because of a plagiarizing scandal. As Reagan would say, ‘There you go again,’” anothersaid.
‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ co-hosts Will Cain and Pete Hegseth compare President Biden and former President Reagan’s Normandy speeches. #foxnews Subscribe to Fo…
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin took the stage at the SPIEF 2024 plenary session on Friday to dwell on Russia’s growing and diversifying economy, adapting to the new reality of a multipolar world, and delivered a warning to Western countries continuing to fan the flames of the Ukraine proxy conflict.
(Mary Dowling)The Miami Independent, a Creative Destruction Media outlet, reported that Harvard-educated law professor Dr. Fancis Boyle provided an affidavit in a Florida case stating under oath that the COVID-19 nanoparticle injections and mRNA nanoparticle injections are biological weapons and weapons of mass destruction and violate Biological Weapons 18 USC § 175; Weapons and Firearms § 790.166 Fla. Stat. (2023).
Dr. Boyle isn’t just anyone. He wrote the 1989 Biological Weapons/Antiterrorism Act and is currently a professor of international law at the University of Illinois.
It’s Working Its Way Through The Courts
The affidavit was presented this past March. At one point, the case was dismissed. It is now in the appellate court. The Appellate Briefwas filed on Memorial Day, May 27th, 2024.View article →
Screenshot: American College of Pediatricians/Youtube
In a bold defiance of mainstream medical tyranny, the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) has delivered a blistering condemnation of America’s leading medical institutions.
This declaration, which is spearheaded by Dr. Jill Simons, Executive Director of the American College of Pediatricians, is an urgent plea to halt the radical gender transition protocols being imposed on vulnerable children.
The coalition, which includes a diverse group of physicians, nurses, behavioral health clinicians, and scientists, has raised the alarm about the severe physical and mental health risks associated with so-called “gender-affirming” care.
“We have serious concerns about the physical and mental health effects of the current protocols promoted for the care of children and adolescents in the United States who express discomfort with their biological sex,” said Dr. Simons during the press conference.
“This declaration was authored by the American College of Pediatricians, but really it was developed from the expertise of hundreds of doctors, researchers, and other health care workers and leaders who, for years, have been sounding the alarm on the harmful protocols that continue to be promoted by the medical organizations in the United States. Despite recent revelations from the leaked WPATH Files and the recent release of the final report from the Cass Review, these medical organizations have not changed course.”
Dr. Simons specifically named each of the major medical associations, criticizing them for promoting the gender transition agenda among vulnerable children.
“We are calling on these medical organizations of the United States, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, to follow the science and their European colleagues and immediately stop the promotion of social affirmation, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for children and adolescents who experience distress over their biological sex. In our declaration, we affirm that sex is a dimorphic innate trait defined in relation to an organism’s biological role in reproduction: male and female.”
WATCH:
The American College of Pediatricians just put out a 🔥🔥🔥 statement calling out all the major medical associations by name for pushing the gender transition craze on kids.
They ask for these groups to "IMMEDIATELY stop the promotion of social affirmation, puberty blockers,… pic.twitter.com/Rba8HDLkoM
These professionals argue that practices like social affirmation, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries are neither safe nor effective in the long term.
Dr. Andre Van Mol, a board-certified family physician, criticized the ideology driving these treatments. He emphasized that gender dysphoria often resolves naturally by adulthood if not affirmed and linked it to underlying issues like mental health disorders and autism. Van Maul pointed out that the current protocols are dangerously experimental and ignore the well-being of the child.
Dr. Erika LeBaron, President-Elect of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, spoke passionately about the ethical violations of current protocols, which contravene the principle of “do no harm.” She called for a return to medical practices that prioritize patient health over political ideology.
Dr. Karl Benzio, a board-certified psychiatrist, pointed to the growing number of countries that are rejecting gender-affirming treatments in favor of psychiatric evaluation and mental health care. He stressed that gender confusion is a psychological issue, not a biological one, and that it should be treated accordingly. He warned that the chemical and surgical interventions currently being promoted are causing irreversible damage to children’s bodies and minds.
Dr. David Olson, a private practice pediatrician and a board member of the American College of Pediatricians, voiced strong support for a pivotal declaration challenging current medical practices regarding gender transition protocols in children. Dr. Olson called on medical professionals across all specialties to carefully review the declaration and its underlying references.
“I urge all of my colleagues, regardless of your medical specialty, everywhere, to read the Declaration, read the references, and then make a careful decision and sign on. The time to act is now,” Dr. Olson said.
The “Doctors Protecting Children Declaration” marks a critical juncture in the fight against the radical gender ideology being pushed by major medical organizations.
This declaration has already been co-signed by medical and health organizations across the U.S., including the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM), American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), American College of Family Medicine (ACFM), Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance (CHCLA), Catholic Medical Association (CMA), Child & Parental Rights Campaign (CPRC), Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), Coalition of Jewish Values, Colorado Principled Physicians, Genspect, Honey Lake Clinic, National Association of Catholic Nurses, National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), and North Carolina Physicians For Freedom (NCPFF). Prominent pediatricians, other doctors, and health professionals from across the U.S. have also signed it.
The ACPeds and its coalition of healthcare professionals are calling on their colleagues and the public to read and support the declaration, available at doctorsprotectingchildren.org.
You can watch the 17-minute press conference below:
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