Kent wrote:I found a site of "all study bibles" and a little summary of each one. Dake's was surprisingly in the unrecommended section. I found a Benny Hinn 30 minute advertisment for the bible, but i'm not a fan of Benny Hinn at all.
Hi Kent,
I've found that many who shun or put down the DARB tend to be stuck in their ways (theology) or simply unwilling to invest the time [like you are doing now] to STUDY the DARB line by line and note for note to give it a FAIR chance.
MANY are caught up in the lie of not being able to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. Many fail to awaken to "...Casting down imaginations, and bring into captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ." They say we all sin everyday in thought, word or deed. When they first see Dake telling them there MUST BE A REAL CHANGE, THEY close their eyes and ears to the truth lest they should be converted. They do not have the will power to HATE EVIL. They continue in the lie that makes salvation easy for all and making religion a paying proposition to gratify themselves.
Some go as far as to say those who use the DARB as their standard resource on most doctrines as "...Members of a cult." MANY seek to enter into God's Kingdom but FEW are actually chosen BECAUSE FEW actually change their attitude and love for sin (HATE EVIL)! Many would rather pick and choose different verses in an effort to TRY to justify a means to continue in the sins they love; rather than CHANGING their attitude and love for sin (HATE EVIL). Many do not obey the rule of KEEPING THE BIBLE IN HARMONY by gathering EVERY VERSE ON THE SUBJECT and let the TRUTH speak for itself. They would rather hold on to the few verse(s) they have on the subject while totally ignoring other verses on the same subject that would contradict their theology they TRY to propagate.
MANY decades have past without people getting into the Bible and truly studying its contents with an open heart and mind to the truth that will set them free. They choose to remain in bondage to the very sin(s) of which Christ died to set them free. The Word is a double edged sword. It hurts to hear the truth at times. Only a humble and meek individual will stand a chance in awakening to the truth. Most of us have to be broken before standing a chance of AWAKENING to a knowledge of the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal. Even when broken, MANY search the scriptures and look to others for guidance, not knowing the the guidance they have been given has led them further down a rocky path that will cause them to stumble over and over again.
I've found in my witness to inmates, the only way one will stand a chance in changing their way of thinking and living is by being straight up with them in the beginning. We BEGIN our walk by FAITH in what we are LED to believe. That FAITH is DEAD without WORKS! However, their WORKS are DEAD without REPENTANCE! So, one must TRUELY REPENT FIRST! John the Baptist, Peter and others demanded we "Bring forth fruits (WORKS) MEET for REPENTANCE." This was done to discourage mere profession of faith and outward show, as mentioned by Dake.
REPENTANCE IS SERIOUS BUSINESS! Without it, it is IMPOSSIBLE TO AWAKE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS AND QUIT THE SIN BUSINESS! If one HABITUALLY commits the same sin(s) over and over again, THEY do not take their PROFESSION of faith SERIOUSLY! This is WHY I'm straight up with inmates and others on the subject of repentance. Without repentance, their eyes and ears we be closed from the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal. It would be like casting pearls before swine. They will only get upset and possibly turn around and rend you.
THERE MUST BE A CHANGE in the life of one who professes to be a Christian. Otherwise, they will be a hypocrite. It's that simple! Even sinners KNOW what a hypocrite is. That's why many inmates do not give any weight to the Bible and those who PROFESS to live in accordance to it's teaching. Because many of those who TRY to teach it to inmates are not living soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. In fact they tell the inmates they will sin every day. SO, when they get out of prison, their is no change in their life and they end up returning back to prison. Many of them within the first year. I know, cause I'm one of those who returned, only to escape and return again.
Really, being in prison IS THE BEST CHANCE ONE COULD HAVE in making a change. I say that because many HAVE THE TIME to really study the Bible. We just need more who will teach them the truth and not lead them astray! We need to give those who have brought forth fruits meet for repentance a DARB to give them a fighting chance and walking in the WAY of TRUTH that gives LIFE eternal. That's the key: "Were fruits (works/obedience) brought forth meet for repentance?" Many inmates will attempt to take advantage of those who try to share the truth with them in an effort to receive personal gain. Many of those who TRY to convert them failed to look for fruits meet for repentance and are discouraged from continuing their visitation with inmates after being taken advantage of. I've seen it time and time again with my own eyes. I would listen to the inmates brag about how they took advantage of those "TRICKS." They would actually call them "TRICKS." It absolutely sickened me!
To be honest, I didn't give out very many Dake Bibles during my trips to prisons and jails. I still have 16 DARB's I want to give out to inmates who will bring forth fruits meet for repentance. A good well to tell is when sharing the truth with them (observing how the respond to it) and spending a lot of time with them. Still then, one must be careful not to be taken advantage of. I let them know from the door, "I'm NOT their TRICK!"
I've GOT to get to sleep. It is 2:20 AM.
Let those who would discredit the DARB do so to the detriment of their own soul if they insist. Many flat out insist and refuse to have a meaningful discussion with open eyes, ears and heart. WHY? Because they insist on continuing in the sin(s) they love without any REAL change. I feel the proper teaching of repentance is the key to providing the tools a new convert needs to awake to righteousness and quit the sin business. I only wish this was taught more plainly without holding back in our churches today. I think many pastors hold back out of fear of loosing tithe (money).
I speak to inmates the same way I'm writing to you now. No beating around the bush! The eternal future of one's soul is a serious matter! Life is short. There is no time for beating around the bush. There is a lot to soak in when studying the Bible and this requires lots of time. Time is harder to manage out here than it is in prison. So, it behoves those in prison to have a firm conviction of the truth and know it well before facing temptations in the free world. Otherwise, they are pretty much destined to backslide and return to prison. The same goes for those of us in the free world as well. We must take our profession of faith seriously each and every moment of every day. Those who would criticize the DARB would have salvation easy for all and require no real change of those who would come to a knowledge of their heresy.
I'm going to bed now. 2:38 AM
In Christ,