session 8

speaking in tongues

the people translate the King James Version at 1611
the way of language is really different then nowadays
for example: Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (last time, they speak like this)

NIV : speaking in tongues (it means language)

first mention of Speaking in tongues in NT
Acts 2 speaking in other languages

the Jews go to Jerusalem to worship God

Acts 2:6 --- speaking in his own language (Greek is slahektos which means native language)
the apostles can speaks Jew's native language just like they were born there. it is a miracle!

Acts 2:9-11 (1st time)
the apostle can speak lots of (15) other language (native language)

speaking in tongues:
1. a miracle
2. can't learn
3. audience will understand
4. content was clear

Why the apostle can speaking in tongues?
God wants to tell the people that the church has started at that time. So God gave the apostles the power to speak different kind of language at that time

after that Pentecost incident, 8-10 years later:
Acts 10: 44-46 (2nd time)
God wants all the people know that the grace has reach to the gentiles, so Peter and the other apostles speak with tongues

Acts 11:5
"...... at the beginning" this beginning means Pentecost
which means it is the second time for them to speak in tongues
The apostle do not speak in tongues since the first incident (Pentecost)
in between 8-10 years, nobody speak in tongues except the beginning.

Acts 19:1-6 (3rd time)
the people there just baptized by John the Baptist
Paul baptized them in the name of Jesus
When Paul placed hands on them, they spoke in tongues

1 Cor 12:28 was written in AD 56
the church -----
first, apostle
second, prophets
third, teachers
forth, workers of miracles
fifth, healing

they have prophets, it's because revelation haven closed
now have no prophets, it's because revelation already closed

1 Co12:29
Paul asked,
are all apostles?  NO
are all prophets? NO
are all teachers? NO
are all workers of miracles? NO
are all healing? NO
are all speaks in tongues? NO
are all interpreter? NO

at that time, there's many christian already, but very few apostles, prophets and teachers.
example: Antioch Church (big church) only has 5 prophets & teachers only!!!

history record of speaking in tongues
1. Cleon Rogers ---- "the gift of Tongues in the Post-Apostolic Church (1965) --- no speaking in tongues mentioned

2. Chrysostom ---- Eastern Churches (347 - 407): tongues had ceased

3. Augustine ---- that things passed away, no more speaking in tongues (354 - 430)

4. Thomas Edger (1983) ---- no more speaking in tongues


nowadays that kind of speaking in tongues which we saw in the churches called

Counterfeit Tongue 假方言

Charles Hunter (1989) teach people how to speak = speak sounds rapidly so that you don't speak your natural language

in the bible
1 Co 12:10-11 ----- Spirit gives the gift to each one just as He determines (which means God determines whether you will have that gift or not, not as you want it as a gift then you can practice it)

Mormon Church
1832 - Brigham Young speaking in tongues
1832 - Joseph Smith speaking in tongues and sing in tongues also
Mormon Church members speak in tongues because of the confirmation of the authenticity of the Books of Mormon that came from Joseph Smith

1 Cor 14
Paul compare 2 gifts (prophecy & speaking in tongues). Both gifts also made use of language.

1 Cor 14:19-20
one should rather speak 5 intelligible words than 10000 words in a tongue
stop think like a child, but think like an adult!

1 Cor 14:2
speaks in a tongue not speak to men but to God

this verse actually Paul is reprimanding the corinthians that they speak in tongues that is not speaking to men but to God... it is wrong because from the first speaking in tongues by the apostle till the third speaking in tongues in the bible... all speaking in tongues is speaking to men, not God!!! Paul is telling to the Corinthians what they are doing is wrong!

the purpose of speaking of tongues is to speak to men, not speak to God

Common sense:
God gives the gift of speaking other language to man so that he can speak to men that they can understand
how come God gives the gift of speaking other language to man so that he can speak back to God by using the language that God gives them???!!!!

those who speaking in tongues said that the language they are speaking is heavenly language which only God understand... it is false teaching!!!

when God speak to Abraham, God uses Abraham's language
when God speak to Moses, God uses Moses's language
God never gives Moses or Abraham His language to communicate with Him!!!

session 7

last day and miracles

miracle is very special
show that he is selected by God or from God or from Satan
miracles can never save people
example: Judas ---- saw Jesus perform so many miracles for 3 years, yet he never believe in 
                                   Christ and betrayed him

example: Paul ------ Jews asks for sign & miracles and Greek ask for wisdom but Paul preach
                                   the cross of Jesus rather then giving them miracles.

Great man like Abraham was a father of faith but he never perform one single miracle.

therefore, no matter what faith you have, how great you are, if God doesn't give you the power of performing miracle, you can't perform it.


Mt 24:24
false Christ & great signs and wonders
Rev 13:13
false prophet will give great wonders by showing fire from heaven

Miracles in Bible 

(happen once in decades)

1. Gen5:24 ----------- Enoch walked with God for 300 years and he was took by God
2. Noah's Flood


after that....
once in 300 years
3. Gen11:7 ----------- Tower of Babel by confusing the language of man


after that once in 600 years
4. Gen 17:17 --------- Abraham got a son in 100 years old
5. Gen 19:24 ---------- Fire from heaven to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah


God only gave 4 people to perform miracles in the OT
1. Moses ------- the 10 plagues in Egypt
2. Joshua ----- the fall of Jericho's wall
3. Elijah
4. Elisha


therefore, the power to perform miracles is very sacred to God


God is the creator of the natural laws and we are supposed to live in the world under such laws.


miracles is beyond the nature law


New Testament
Jesus give 70 disciples the power to perform miracles for few days
1. twelve apostles & paul
2. Stephen & Philip
3. Ananias (not counted because only 1 miracle)

session 6

sunday = Lord's day, not your day!

head covering 1 Cor 11:2-16

Head covering through the centuries:
1) 200's: Catacombs-Rome
2) 300's: Catacombs-Rome
3) 800's: England
4) 1100's: Europe
5) 1200's: Europe
....
....
....
1620: New England
All these people cover their heads
Head covering is not brethen distintive!

at that time, the people in corinth are very very dirty. They built a temple called Acrocorinth which is the temple of Ero (lust)

Paul preach there 6 months

1 Cor = AD55
Pentecost = AD29
the church already 26 years old...

1 Cor 11:16
we have no ther practice (head covering) ---- NIV
we have no such custom (head covering)  ---- KJ (wrong)

the churches of God at 1 Cor 11:16
are Churches of Jerusalem, Churches of Antioch and churches planted by Paul, all churches practice Head Covering except Corinths.

God's Eternal Plan
God the Father                   not God the Mother
God the Son                         not God the Daughter

OT saints                              under Priests (not female)
NT saints                              under Elders (not pastor)

every single job, male allow to do, women also allow to do, except 1 job!

the condition of Priests in the bible is very strict!
1. from Levits
2. male
3. more than 30 years old

the church is not govern by 1 leader!

Chapter 11 ---- 3 symbols: Head, Bread, Wine

1 Co 14:40 --- worship God in a fitting and orderly way
God has his own principles for the world order, home order and church order
the way of God never change!

tradition in Paul's Day (when they pray)
1. Jewish ---- both men and women cover their heads
2. Romans --- both men and women cover their heads
3. Greek ------ both men and women don't cover their heads

bible ---------- men must not cover their head and women must cover their heads

except some rare occasion: 2 Samuel 15:30 David cover his head when his son died

1 Co 11:2
holding to the teaching

1 Co11:3 (3 headship)
the head of women is man
the head of man is Christ
the head of Christ is God

* when Eve takes the forbidden fruit, God did not ask Eve at the beginning but He asked Adam because he is the head of Eve.

1 Co 11:4
when man covered his heads, it dishonor his head
man is the image and glory of God
1 Co 11:5
women is the glory of man


WHY head covering???
1. woman's head is the glory of man
2. woman is made from man
3. head covering is a symbol of a sign of authority 服权柄的记号 and it let the angels see the obedience of woman

wine and bread also are symbol and don't care what kind of them

WORSHIP
1. prepare ourselves
2. examine ourselves
3. in love
4. in order (head covering, brothers lead)
5. tell God about your heart and your love

Before God descend to Mount Sinai, He told Moses to ask the people to prepare themselves for 3 days. So do we, prepare ourselves before we meet the Lord in worship.

Habakkuk 2:4
the righteous will live by his faith

Romans 1:17
Galatians 3:11
Hebrews 10:38
we are justified by faith

salvation 救恩
redemption 救赎

heresy 异端 which means Jesus is not enough, need to plus something

Gal 1: 6-9
if someone preach other gospel to you, let him be accursed

to God, there's only 1 way to heaven!!!

Romans 5:1
justified by faith, not work

无罪 ---- 良心 ------（the flood)--- 人治 ----- 应许（族长） ----- 律法 ------ 恩典

良心：Heb11:4-5 by faith Abel & Enoch
人治：Heb11:7    by faith Noah
应许：Heb11:8    by faith Abraham
律法：Heb11:24  by faith Moses


from the beginning till the end, salvation is justified by faith!

Gen 15:6 & Roman 4:3
From OT & NT ---- both justified by Faith

When Abraham was 80 years old, he justified by faith
When Abraham was 99 years old, he was being circumcised (which means it doesn't lead to salvation)

from beginning till the end, God's grace + moral law

A just judge looks at the law (God also!)

if someone teach you that when there's grace, there will be no law = false teaching!
when there's grace, there will be law

if there's no law, there will be no sin! (impossible) Romans 4:15

Example: Joseph
Gen 39:8-9
Joseph refused his master's wife and said, "how can i sin against God?"
Joseph didn't said, "how can i sin against your husband?"
why? it is because Joseph know breaking God's law is sin!!
so he never say sin against your husband

example: No Law, No Sin!
when you ride a bicycle, will the police comes to you and say you break the law?
NO because when there's no law, you have no sin...

if someone teach you that there's no law before Moses = false teaching!
because no law, no sin, no penalty, no need grace!

Jesus Christ & the law
Mt 5:17
i'm not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it
Mt 5:18
the law will not pass away

The demand of the law is too high, only Jesus can fulfill it for he is both God and Man

Mt 5:19
you break the law, you will be called the least in heaven
you obey the law, you will be called the great in heaven

Therefore, by breaking or obeying the law will not affect your salvation!

Mt5:27-28
it was said (not written), do not commit adultery.
When you look on a woman to lust after her, you had already commit adultery in your heart.

the 10 commandments not as simple as it is mentioned ~

when Jesus was tempted by the devil, Jesus said, 'for it is written...."

John 10: 34   Law = Psalms in the OT （Ps 82:6)
Luke 16:16    Law = OT
Heb   10:1      Law = shadow of the things to come
James 2:11   Law = 10 commandments

the way to glorify God is to live a holy life

4 things to do in the Lord's Day (Sunday)
1. God's word
2. Fellowship
3. Breaking of the bread
3. Prayer

session 5

Gospel according to Jesus

the wages of sin is death == hell but God don't want us to go to hell. The penalty can be replaced by sinless man but all man have sin. So, normal cannot die for another man but a sinless human can die for other man. that is why Jesus died on the cross for man and rose up. That's salvation which is a gift and it is not a reward which depends on what you do and give to get it.

this salvation is a gift, you only have 2 respond: accept or reject.
those who accept it will go through the narrow way and go to heaven (few)
those who reject it will go through the wide way and go to hell (many)


Mk 1:14
gospel of the kingdom of God
Mk 1:15
repent and believe

Lk 5:31
it is those who are sick that need doctor
Lk 5:32
repent (sinners)

how to get salvation? by Faith
it is no way to contribute to get salvation

after 3 months the Israelite  out of Egypt, the first thing God wants them to do is the tabernacle (worship) and do it according to what God wants

"Worship God according to what He wants, not according to what human wants!"

purpose of creation = worship God

Dec 1999
born again christian = 27%
other = 24%
Atheists = 21%

Mk 6:7 & 12
preach that men should repent
Lk 24:45-48
repentance & remission of sins should be preach
Isa 1:16-18
What to repent?
What to do?
Lk 19:1-7
Zacchaeus repent and he change into a new life by paying back 4 times (400%)
Numbers 5:7
when you confess, you need to give full restitution and add 1/5 (20%) to the person you were wrong

Mt 19:16-19
what to do to get eternal life?
follow the 10 commandments (the fifth --- 10th) -------> summarize as love your neighbour as you love yourself

Mt 19:20
the young man already follow all the commandments
what lack?

Old Testament & New Testament are the same!
1. saved by faith
2. God's treasure
3. Priests
4. Holy Nation
5. Glorify God by being holy

salvation is justified by faith, after that be God's children and live like His children. When you obey, God will bless you; when you disobey, God will curse you.

Lev 26
You are already saved (out of egypt), so live like God's children. When the people obey God, they are blessed; when they disobey God, they are being curse. After they repent their sins, God forgive them and God bless them because of their obedience.

Moses preach 4 times about it in deutronomy + 1 time at the 40th year. Then
+ 1 time when Joshua leads those people enter Canaan Land + 1 time when Joshua died.
God repeats it for 7 times to the people about it.

It shows that God never change this method until now!!!

session 4

we can trust the bible

now we are using the same criteria that all historical documents are tested:
(1) the number of existing manuscripts 原稿数量
(2) the dating of the manuscripts 原稿年龄
(3) the proportion of variant readings 变量

(1) the number of existing manuscripts
Old Testament - 39 books (written in hebrew)
from 1500BC - 400BC
read from right to left
it was from Asia, not western country

New Testament - 27 books (written in Greek)
from AD50 - AD95
Why Greek?
story started from the great Alexander when he was 32 years old, he complaint there's no more places for him to conquer and he died. therefore, Greek is the language of the world that time (the time of apostle)

then the people translate the OT to Greek as well (start from 285 BC) in Septuagint 七十士译本


NT Manuscript:
Greek 5,300
Latin 10,000 (Romans Empire)
Other 9,300
total 24,600

other old manuscript in the world:
author                      time written        earliest copy         diff bet time written & copy      copies
Juslius Caesar       100-144BC                900AD                       1000 years                            10
New Testament      40-100BC                   125AD                         25 years                         24,600

(2) Dating of the Manuscript
Example:
1 Corinthians - spring 56AD
2 Corinthians - early winter 56AD
the date is so accurate

some scholar said the bible is not reliable, reasons given:
(a) genesis mention camel, they said camel was not existed at that time. but latest archeology recovered the king tomb, camel was barried together with the king at that time.



(3) Variant Readings
New Testament
20,000 lines but only 40 lines got problem = 0.5%
among the 40 lines, 1/8 of them are just having spelling mistake and arrangement of words, it means only 0.0625% of the New Testament got problem

compare to the best manuscript in the world
Iliad
15,600 lines, 764 lines got problem = 5%

Old Testament Manuscript
the Dead Sea Scrolls
there's 40,000 fragments and 500 become books
among the 500 books, 100 of them are the old testament written in hebrews, only esther is not in. among the 100 books, one of them is the book of Isaiah which is a complete manuscript copied at 125BC and it is almost identical to the Masoretic test of AD916

session 3

Why Evolution is not possible?

From Amoeba, it form a Man (impossible）
a complicated cell cannot just appear like that without anyone make it

a cell is made up of protein and nucleic acid
a protein was made up of 20 amino acids

in this world, there are 500 amino acids but only 20 of them are used for biological life on earth.

from 500, we want to get 20 randomly, the possibility = 5.4 x 10 to the power of 20
so, it cannot just happen randomly!!!

to form a protein, the order of amino acids cannot change
insulin is form by 51 Amino Acids

1 drop of blood = 35,000,000 red blood cell
1 red blood cell = 280,000,000 haemoglobin
1 haemoglobin = 2 alpha chains + 2 beta chains + 4 蛋白质

2 alpha chains  (2x 141) + 2 beta chains (2x141) = ................. Amino Acids

there's left handed / right handed amino acids, and you need to get the correct order one

the amino acids have lots of lots of folding way and you need to get the correct folding because the order of the protein cannot change!

how can you say all this just appear or happen randomly ??!!!

session 2

Where do we come from?

1. folding and bending of sedimentary layers
       - it forms very slowly
       - 1cm takes 1000 years
the scientists calculate the age of the earth according to the layers of the mountain and they said our earth already million years old

don't believe it!!!
why???

the layers are bended
and the layers can be bended when they are soft.... the only reason for it is 'noah's flood' in the bible. 2/3 of the earth's surface was under water before (Noah's Flood). all the bending of layers was happen in a short time and the layers still soft and pliable

(2)  At France, a place called Saint-Etienne, there was some Polystrate trees, these trees stands vertically inside the sedimentary layers. It happens because of Noah's Flood

(3) Niagara Falls
Charles Lyell went to Canada and looked at the Fall (1841) and he said the Fall was about 35,000 years old and it was incorrect. The Fall will expand itself 5 - 8 feet per year, by doing some calculation, the age of the fall is 7000 - 4375 years old.
According to the bible, Noah's Flood happened 4300 years ago...

(4) Oldest Tree in the World
the oldest tree in the world is Methuselah (4838 years old) and Prometheus (5000 years old). 1 year has 1 ring / 2 rings on the tree
so, it's matching the Noah's Flood (4300 years ago) that after Noah's Flood, everything start all over again

（5） Petrified Forest National Park
the petrified tree has 1700 rings and these trees were left before the flood.
According to the bible, the flood happen 1656 years from Adam.
so, before flood - 1700 years
after flood - 4000
the earth is only around 6000 years old.... not million years as the scientists said.

(6) Mississippi River Delta (5000 years old)

(7) Mitochondrial Eve
in the nucleus in our cell, there's chromosomes where male is XY and female is XX. the Y will only pass from the father to son.
by looking at the mitochondrial Eve growing rate, at 1987 the scientist said Eve was 200,000 years old. After that, they realised that the mitochondrial Eve actually growing 20 times faster than the previous rate, so actually Eve was around 6000 years old (1998).

(8） Early Language
1990 - Adam was 6000 years old
the language of the world having the same starting point (6000 years ago)

2900 BC Sumerian
2700 BC Egyptian
2400 BC Akkadian
2400 BC Eblaite
...
...
...
...
1200 BC Chinese

the earliest language was 2900 + 2000 (2000 years before christ) = 4900 (after the flood)