Regeneration is indeed being raised from the grave, spiritual death, and hence making for the first resurrection, the second being that of the body.

On its own, it makes good logical sense to never make or possess or use an image of anything in heaven, earth or sea. biblically speaking we must remember that most all of the Jews problems were a result of idolatry and it just didn’t happen overnight, but gradually and influentually.

The seed to idolatry starts with a mental image because you cannot make an image unless you first form it in your mind. Once that image is in your mind, when you worship with that image in your mind you cease from worshipping in Spirit and in Truth. In Spirit, because God is Spirit and no one has ever seen God nor can anyone discribe Him, and in Truth because that mental image in your mind is false, a lie and you cannot mix truth with false.

Mental images of God or Christ or angels etc, are the worst kind of idolatry because they are hard to remove. They are fixed in your mind for as long as you live. For this reason the Jews were given no image or similitude at Sinia, not even the brightness of God’s glory. Jesus and hosts of angles were present but no image. I also understand that there was no moon or sun or stars present –so they could not use those to recall what God looked like. In other words, God took painstaking efforts to ensure there was no image whatsoever when He came to speak to the Jews at Mount Sinia. As well, before the Jews entered the heathen nations they were to take possession of, God had all the images and idols and even pictures destroyed –pulverized, burnt, buried BEFORE the masses of people came into that idolatrous nation which signifies God wanted no image of these gods in their minds –God was planing to put His image in their minds –His revelation of both existence and character; i.e., I AM that IM, love, mercy, forgiving, etc. He shows us His character so we can worship Him with these images (of love, mercy and forgiveness, etc.) because it is these atributes we are in most need and if we behold them, we will become like them.

Even if you think you are strong enough to avoid idolatry by making or possessing an image, you are then tempting God and quenching the Holy Spirit because we know we are prohibited by the second commandment to make any image –let alone worship them. But I ask you to do a test and get that image of Christ and deface it. I already know you cannot do it becasue of the fact that you believe it really is Christ, you think Christ will punish you for doing it. On the contrary, He will reward you! He wants that image out of sight and out of mind becasue He will not be able to put His image in you until you empty yourself from all worldliness, and images of Christ or God are just that, worldliness.

Finally, I would caution you to watch out for translations. They say the devil is in the details and this is no exception. For example, most new translations such as the NIV replace image with idol. Image being similitude, copy or facsimilie and idol meaning the worship of an image. To use idol in place of image automatically assumes worship so for translations to say, “thou shalt not make an idol” automatically assumes you are worshipping what you have made or you are making it to worship it. If that is the case –that idol and image are one in the same, why would God then say “thou shalt not bow or serve them?” In other words, once idol is used, the relevency of the second part of this 2 part commandment –to bow and serve –becomes redundant! An idol is already bowed to and served! Furthermore, if they are one in the same thing, why would God use both image and idol in the same sentence or verse?

No friend, the only reason idol is used is precisely to get you to think that making or possessing or using an image is okay so long as it is not worshipped (an idol) and these various denominations prove it to you by erecting their images, but tell you not to worship it so it doesn’t become an idol to you or them. That makes no sense at all! A church putting temptation in front of you! I wonder, how is it that they know you are not worshipping it? Can they read your heart, your desires? Your mind? Are they with you every second to ensure you don’t worship it? And what about the mental image it leaves with you all your life so when you do pray, you are forming that same image in your own mind?

While the Catholic Church removed the second commandment altogether –to justify their images, the Protestant Churches just change words to justify their images. While both are abominations to God, it is the latter that actually does more damage because with the commandment left in and words changed, the more justification is needed (more lies) when questioned by those who study their bibles and question their use.

Arminianism, now replaced by Sandemanianism, is heresy of the highest order. God works according to His eternal nature, not in time. What He proposed to do, within eternity, is being unfolded in time. There is no distinction in eternity between God’s determination and the event He determines, God being Omnipotent, Omniscient, Immutable in all His works. Nothing is left to time and chance, but all fed through eternal counsells.

The Banner of Truth attacked this man for speaking what is the truth. This is not unusual. This publishing organisation is mixed up, totally, utterly mixed up. It has reproduced some good material, from sound ministers, whilst also slipping in error and heresy from others. There is no truth in the Banner of Truth, that believes in works for salvation, rather than justification by the imputed righteousness of the Son of God. What the Banner of Truth fails to do is to read what it prints. It expects others to read its publications whilst not reading them themselves.