Catechism! A basic understanding of the Christian Church! The Pentateuch: God's Mercy and Patience!

To all the saints who read these words;

There is one Father; creator of all that is seen and unseen.
There is one Lord Jesus Christ; the Only-Begotten Son of God, the very Word of God who became flesh.
There is only one Holy Spirit of God; the Lord, the Giver of Life, who has spoken through the prophets.

It is our job as created beings to worship the creator in truth, not as we see fit. This series will take us through the scriptures and tell us why this is so and how to do it. This is not a Bible study in the sense that we will receive instruction on the holy scriptures alone. This is a study to show us why we are Christian and how to be so in the manner that was given to us by Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

from the beginning of creation according to Holy Writ. Since Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of the Garden of Eden, Cain slew Able his brother out of jealousy and anger and was further cast off from among his family. Cain married and his wife bore him a son. This son had a son who had a son on down for five sons following to Lamech who took two wives; Genesis 4: 23 And Lamech said to his wives Ada and Sella: Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech: for I have slain a man to the wounding of myself, and a stripling to my own bruising. 24 Sevenfold vengeance shall be taken for Cain: but for Lamech seventy times sevenfold.

It would appear as if man has no control, however, there are four sons from Adam before Lamech who we do not hear about, we do not know what became of their line of humanity. We know only what is given to us, this cannot be stressed enough, we know only in part. So is sin hereditary? This is commonly taught that man is destined to sin because of Adam and Eve. But let us look back at Genesis chapter 24 immediately after Lamech makes his lamentations above in verse 24, what do we find way back in time?

25 Adam also knew his wife again: and she brought forth a son, and called his name Seth, saying: God hath given me another seed, for Abel whom Cain slew.

23 "I have slain a man"... It is the tradition of the Hebrews, that Lamech in hunting slew Cain, mistaking him for a wild beast; and that having discovered what he had done, he beat so unmercifully the youth, by whom he was led into that mistake, that he died of the blows.
26 But to Seth also was born a son, whom he called Enos; this man began to call upon the name of the Lord.

So Adam had another son who had a son; Enos, who began to call upon the name of the Lord. This is not to say that Adam or his son Seth did not call upon the name of the Lord, it is to say that Enos was more solemn in his worship and calling upon the name of the Lord.

Enos, from the same bloodline of sin, turns to God with earnest instead of following the path of sin, obviously this is a personal choice that he has made, is there anything written here to the contrary? Look it up for yourself, you have the references, decide for yourself if the man in the direct bloodline of Adam and Eve, Adam's own grandson, made a personal choice to call upon the name of the Lord.

Following the bloodline of Enos we will find; Henoch, there were four generations of Enos, with Henoch or sometimes written as Enoch, being the fourth. Lest you think that this is not important continue reading the scripture; Genesis 5; 23 And all the days of Henoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And he walked with God, and was seen no more: because God took him.

According to what we have available to us from Holy scripture, Henoch was the first man to be taken up by God because of a holy life and his body did not see corruption. How could this be? Because he walked with God. Henoch believed the Word of God while it was yet still in the bosom of God. Henoch believed and walked with God and was taken up, he was no more. Should this be important to us? Well the Apostles thought so and those who wrote the New testament thought so, see what they had to say about Henoch;

Jude 1; 11 Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain: and after the error of Balaam they have for reward poured out themselves, and have perished in the contradiction of Core. 12 These are spots in their banquets, feasting together without fear, feeding themselves, clouds without water, which are carried about by winds, trees of the autumn, unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion; wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness is reserved for ever. 14 Now of these Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to reprove all the ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness, whereby they have done ungodly, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against God.

11 "Gone in the way"... Heretics follow the way of Cain, by murdering the souls of their brethren; the way of Balaam, by putting a scandal before the people of God, for their own private ends; and the way of Core or Korah, by their opposition to the church governors of divine appointment.

14 "Prophesied"... This prophecy was either known by tradition, or from some book that is since lost.

16 These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according to their own desires, and their mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain's sake. 17 But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 Who told you, that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses. 19 These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit. 20 But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Hebrews 11:5 By faith Henoch was translated, that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had testimony that he pleased God.

1 And after that men began to be multiplied upon the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 The sons of God seeing the daughters of men, that they were fair, took to themselves wives of all which they chose. 3 And God said: My spirit shall not remain in man for ever, because he is flesh, and his days shall be a hundred and twenty years. 4 Now giants were upon the earth in those days. For after the sons of God went in to the daughters of men, and they brought forth children, these are the mighty men of old, men of renown. 5 And God seeing that the wickedness of men was great on the earth, and that all the thought of their heart was bent upon evil at all times,

2 "The sons of God"... The descendants of Seth and Enos are here called sons of God from their religion and piety: whereas the ungodly race of Cain, who by their carnal affections lay grovelling upon the earth, are called the children of men. The unhappy consequence of the former marrying with the latter, ought to be a warning to Christians to be very circumspect in their marriages; and not to suffer themselves to be determined in their choice by their carnal passion, to the prejudice of virtue or religion.

3 "His days shall be"... The meaning is, that man's days, which before the flood were usually 900 years, should now be reduced to 120 years. Or rather, that God would allow men this term of 120 years, for their repentance and conversion, before he would send the deluge.

4 "Giants"... It is likely the generality of men before the flood were of a gigantic stature in comparison with what men now are. But these here spoken of are called giants, as being not only tall in stature, but violent and savage in their dispositions, and mere monsters of cruelty and lust.

6 It repented him that he had made man on the earth. And being touched inwardly with sorrow of heart, 7 He said: I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, from man even to beasts, from the creeping thing even to the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noe found grace before the Lord. 9 These are the generations of Noe: Noe was a just and perfect man in his generations, he walked with God. 10 And he begot three sons, Sem, Cham, and Japheth.

We have seen that God is merciful and in spite of the grossest of sins we are allowed time to repent until such time as even the patience of Almighty God Himself runs out.

We have seen that it is actually possible to walk with God, if you deny that then you deny the very scripture that you call holy. To walk with God requires a fierce determination in the face of temptation and the constant prayer to God for strength and communication. If or when we do sin, we have an advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ who can forgive us our sins You can also see that there is much about humanity that is not written and I do not even have to say that there is an incredibly small amount of information given us so far regarding Almighty God save the fact that He is a forgiving God, a God of mercy but also a God who can run out of patience with us.

When was the last time that you were that sorry for your sins? If you want forgiveness you had better truly be repentant and sorrowful for your sins, if you are not, then you cannot expect forgiveness.

Are you hiding sin in your own heart? You can contact me or another priest that you trust and confess this sin, do not delay in this, hiding a sin is adding more sin to it, that of deception and lying.

In our next issue we will continue our walk with Almighty God and each other.

The Lord Bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, bring you peace: today, tomorrow and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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