IDMC 2024: Truth Under Attack

IDMC 2024: Truth Under Attack

Collin Leong. September 3, 2024

These are notes I took from the August 2024 IDMC Convention. Note that not all are from the speakers. I have mixed in with my own words and sentences too. 

Truth Under Attack (Rev Edmund Chan)

There are two ways to define truth: Content or Connection. We can discuss content but our lives never change. Good changes comes from good connection to God.

It doesn't make sense to say there is no truth. How do you know you said the truth when you say there's no truth? It is an oxymoronic idea.  

There can be only one truth. You cannot replace medicine with poison. Truth is under attacks when it is substitute with other lies and when it is compromised. Truth is designed to connect ourselves with God.

There are four types of attacks:

1) The truth of God's goodness is under attack. 

In Genesis 3,  Satan asked Eve whether God said she cannot eat from any tree in the garden. Satan already know the answer, but his question contains a lie.  Eve said God told them not to eat the one tree in the midst of garden, and not to touch it, lest they will die. 

Eve added "not to touch", which is compromising the truth. As such Satan also took the chance to attack the goodness of God, saying that God doesn't want them to know good and evil, to be wise, and to be like God. (v4-6)

I believe that God didn't want them to eat the tree of good and evil, as they were not ready to make their own decision about right or wrong. Just like a toddler, they are still being trained by God. They need to know from God what is holiness, and have a intimate relationship with God before they are ready to be "wise" and know how to make decisions. 

We give excuse that we can't believe in God's goodness because we are suffering and see injustice, but Eve was living in paradise and still sin! We need to declare that our god is good!

2) The truth of God's authority is under attack. 

When Satan tempted Jesus. he challenge his authority to turn rocks into bread, and whether the angels will catch him when he falls, since He is the Son of God. His 3rd temptation was for Jesus to take short cut to own the world by worshiping Satan. (Matt 4:1-10)

In Luke 4:13, when Satan has ended every temptation, he departed from Jesus until an opportune time. Satan has lost the battle, but still want to take advantage when Jesus fail. Satan did not believe that Jesus will not sin, for Jesus has become a man and he is Satan's territory. No man has ever win over his temptations. 

However, Jesus knows the Word inside out, not only in the content but the real implications relating to the relationship with God. The only way to win is to know and obey the scriptures. We have the authority of God in the scriptures. We should not fear that Satan will attack us. If Satan is not chasing you, he already has you. 

3) The truth of God's gospel is under attack.  

Some people say, if God can do anything, why don't He just forgive everyone and accept everyone to his kingdom? Why go through the sacrifice of His son?  Yes, God can do anything; but he won't do it if the act contradicts himself.  While God loves us and can decide not to punish our sin, he is also bound to His character of justice. The better question is why didn't he just sent us all to hell, which is justifiable. It is because He also has the character of mercy. In His mercy, he rather put His Son on the cross, rather than destroy us all.  His actions were decided by his character. 

There are 3 ways to go to heaven without Christ. Romans Chapter 2:12-16 "For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus."

That is, Israelites who did not have law (before Moses) must do good consistently. Those who has the law must obey the law perfectly. The gentiles must obey the laws naturally written in their hearts and their conscience given by God. 

However, Romans 3:23-24 says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Therefore, God who is righteous, who loved us and who have mercy on us, had no choice but to sacrifice the perfect man, which only Jesus is worthy. 

4. The truth of God's grace is under attack. 

We are saved by God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. But many people take grace for granted, or use grace to live a double life since they believe God will forgive them. If Satan cannot prevent you from receiving the gospel, he will pervert the gospel. 

Everything Satan do is deception. We need discernment to know if what we hear is right or wrong. Our  decisions must be directed by the Word of God, and this will result in directed actions. We need to be dependent in God.

A pastor dreamt that he hit a golf ball into the fairway. When he walked towards the ball, it turned into a nail. He said Edmund was there, and Edmund told him to hit the nail. After he hit it, it flies to the green and becomes a ball again.  We need discernment to know if it is a nail or a ball. Sometimes we are blinded and we get confused and unable to move. We need a directed action to hit the "nail."  When we completed this hole, we need to be dependent on God for the rest of the holes.  

The truth shall set you free.

Epilogue

Dispensationalism is a theological framework that divides history into distinct periods or “dispensations” in which God interacts with humanity in different ways. Here are the commonly recognized dispensations:

1. Innocence: This period covers the time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before the Fall.
2. Conscience: From the Fall to the Flood, where human beings were guided by their conscience.
3. Human Government: From Noah to the Tower of Babel, where human government was established. The first form of human government established is often associated with Nimrod, who is described as a mighty hunter and the founder of several cities, including Babel (later Babylon), Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. Nimrod is considered the first post-flood ruler who established a kingdom and extended his rule by conquering other lands.
4. Promise: From Abraham to the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, focusing on God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants.
5. Law: From Moses to John the Baptist, where the Law given to Moses was the guiding principle. The first judge of Israel was Othniel. He was the son of Kenaz and the younger brother of Caleb. There are 13 judges, and the last judge was Samuel. He is the one who appointed kings to rule over Israel. 
6. Grace: The current church age, from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture, where salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.
7. Kingdom: The future millennial kingdom, where Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years123.

The last king of Judah was King Zedekiah before the final Babylon exile. A number of Old Testament documents were  written during and after the exile. These include:

1. Ezekiel: Written during the Babylonian exile.
2. Daniel: Also written during the Babylonian exile.
3. Haggai: Written after the return from exile.
4. Zechariah: Written after the return from exile.
5. Malachi: Written after the return from exile and is considered one of the last books of the Old Testament.