Another Reason to Believe

12/30/24

Liars or Witnesses?

As we share the Gospel with people, we tend to hear many different reasons why people don't believe. While here, at BRC, we tend to gravitate to history and evidence as the reason to why we believe, there is something that has always blown our minds.

The fact that some witnesses decided to speak about what they saw, even though they knew they would die horrible deaths for simply speaking about what they saw, has always been an eye opener.

Think about this.

Peter was crucified upside down on his command, because he didn't feel worthy of dying in the same fashion as Jesus. Or James, who was beheaded. Or Stephen, who was stoned to death. Or John, who was dipped in hot oil. Or Paul, who was also was beheaded. Or Bartholomew who was flayed or skinned to death.

And just to think, that in Rome, all they had to do was simply say they didn't see such things, and these horrible deaths would of have been completely avoided. Yeah, these witnesses must have been 100% convinced of what they saw, to the point they were willing to be killed. I'd rather believe those witnesses, than to believe the people who claim these things are lies on the basis that they find these stories hard to belive. I'd like to see if those people would carry the same courage to say the truth if they were placed in the same scenario, where a simply lie would get you off the hook.

12/6/24

Calling yourself a Christian

"You're are a Bible believer, not a Christian!"

It's literally the third time this week, someone tells me that calling Bible believers "Christians" is not biblical. Acts 11:26 says, "And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians".

Jesus was called Χριστός (Christós) (the Messiah or the Anointed One). Therefore, since the disciples followed Christ, according to Acts people labeled them Christians (followers of Christ).

In 1 Peter 4:16, We are told not to be ashamed to suffer for carrying that name: "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name".

And lastly, followers of Christ carried the labled of being Christians by both, believers and unbelievers, as shown in Acts 26:28 "Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”

So if you don't want to carry the name, that's fine! But it is definitely both biblical and correct.

12/2/24

The Whole Truth

"You're wrong! No, you are!"

As Christians, we often run into other Christians that hold to different view points and understanding. In these cases, both parties perceive themselves as being correct and perceive the other person as being wrong. There defenses come in a few forms.

1. The Holy Spirit revealed this to me... (This is simply a poor excuse used in order to evade anyone from questioning a belief, as no one wants to question the Spirit. However, if this were the case, there would be no need to read the Bible. The Holy Spirit would simply read the Bible to you. (An unsolvable issue if both parties use the same defense lol).

2. I encountered this experience personally... (Not to call anyone a liar, but if these experience interpret the Bible, instead of the Bible interpreting itself in light of other verses, that persons experience is not more correct than the Bible).

3. This verse says... (Isolation of verses ALWAYS leads to a wrong understanding. That's why understanding the chapter that verse is found in, gives the proper context of what you read).

4. This is what I've been taught... (This is the reason for the vast amounts of erroneous religions out there).

Therefore, when choosing to believe in something, or trying to find the proper interpretation of things in regards to biblical matters we should:

1. Understanding what we are reading in light of proper grammar. Respecting symbolisms, metaphoric language, illustrations, hyperboles, context etc.

2. Understand the times, customs, and culture, of when the writings were written.

3. Understand and accept the fact that historical evidence, findings, and scientific evidence, (Practical science, not theoretical science), will always have the winning point.

4. Be open minded to the fact that the best interpretation of what you read in the Bible, is found when we allow the Bible to interprete itself through other verses, rather than to hold interpretations based on how we were taught to interpret the verse.

In other words, let's not defend the validity of the Bible and of Jesus through archaeological evidence, to then, denouncing this evidence to explain a belief.

There is a huge difference between a person that can prove what he believes vs a person that claims to be correct in the absence of evidence.

Last but not least, the Bible is the full word of God, and is the authority in all matters, despite any personal experiences and/or opinions. Therefore, when people claim that the Holy Spirit revealed something to them, about you, simply test what they tell you through the Bible and not the Bible through what they tell you.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" -2 Timothy 3:16-

-The BRC Team-

The Word Faith Movement

"When bad apples rot the good apples"

Joyce Myers, Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Fred Price, Creflo Dollar, Todd Bentley etc.....

When we turn on the television, in search of a good sermon, we tend to run into these kind of preachers. While they came out of the Pentecostal movement, they have no denomination, nor a formal organization, nor a hierarchy.

The most troubling part of this movement, comes from their erroneous definition of the Holy Spirit. The"force" that believers can access and utilize to manifest their desires and receive blessings, including physical healing and financial prosperity.

In there twisted theology, they teach that we are made in the image of God (as little gods), and so, if God said, "let there be light, and there was", we too can speak things as if they were, and they will be.

From here it gets even worse. After the fall, humans took on Satan’s nature and lost the ability to call things into existence. In order to correct this nature, Jesus Christ gave up His divinity and became a man, died spiritually, took Satan’s nature upon Himself, went to hell, was born again, and rose from the dead with God’s nature. After this, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to replicate the Incarnation in believers so they could become little gods as God had originally intended.

Therefore, as Christians, we must learn to test all things through scripture. The Bible "is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).

So, while we know that faith comes from God (Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 12:2) and is not something we create for ourselves, a simple reading of the Bible places their theology as fake hersey.

Ironically, in all truth, these false teachings actually resonate the very lie pushed by Satan in the Garden: “You shall be as God” (Genesis 3:5).

-The BRC Team-

11/07/24

10/02/24

Dog vs Cat Mentality

A while back, I visited a church in Virginia. Awesome little church with nice fellowship and a great preacher. Doing what we do (questions and answers, debates, speaking at events), we've gotten a chance to hear many sermons throughout the past couple of years. This one preaching caught our attention because it was something I never really thought about.

It was about the different mentality between dogs and cats, and how it applies to us followers of Christ. To sum it up quickly, there is the dog. The dogs owner baths him, trims his nails, feeds him, then has a cuddle session.

The dog then proceeds to think "this person has fed me, cleaned me up, cuddled me, and gave me treats. He must be God!"

Then, there is the cat. Given the same scenario, he looks at his owner and says "this person has fed me, cleaned me up, cuddled me, and gave me treats. I must be God!"

After hearing this, it served as a reminder of how many times God blesses us throughout the year, and rather than having a thankful disposition, we run with the cat mentality. Rather than being greatful for what we have, and being thankful to our Creator, we sometimes feel completely entitled, as if we deserve all things (like the forgiveness he gave us on the cross).

With this in mind, we just want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." -John 10:27-

-The BRC Team-

Remembering to be thankful this Thanksgiving!