The Faith Once For All Delivered, Evans Olang

Jude 1:3 “…contend earnestly for THE faith which was ONCE for ALL delivered to the saints”.

In the last couple of years, there have been stories about people from the middle east getting saved through dreams without hearing the gospel or the name of Jesus. While I may not limit anything the God of creation can do, I believe when I read scripture that He has chosen to limit the means by which He will save His people. I do not find anywhere in scripture where God saves by dreams and even visions and I will by scripture present a case.

The natural revelation helps men see that God has created everything.  David heralds this in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork”.  And Paul in Romans 1:20 echoes the same “20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”. God never chose the natural revelation to be the means to save men but prepare men for the supernatural or special revelation. The natural revelation can create a  desire for special revelation, however the natural has no power of its own.

John 3 Study: The New Birth 4of10, Evans Olang

John 3:9-12, “9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”

The key word in addressing these 4 verses is the word “understanding”. This is HOW we receive the new birth. Up to this point, everything Jesus had talked to Nicodemus about made no sense, his question, vs. 9-10, “9…”HOW can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?“

Understanding Is Revelation, Evans Olang

Luke 24:44-45, “44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (NIV)

What troubled me for a while was listening to a very learned person misunderstand scriptures. I mean someone with more degrees than a thermometer read a scripture passage and miss the whole point of the passage. They get everything else but the scripture despite the fact they have read it over and over again. How many times have we also read verses after verses and it was plain, then one day as we were reading it again, it became alive. Anyone can read the scriptures, only God can give understanding to His Word. The devil knows the scriptures, he tempted Jesus with it, the only thing he does not understand it.