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The Covenant and Humanity. Who Really Has It?

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One of the great issues that has come from those that follow religion above following the teachings of God through His Son Jesus Christ; is the belief that one group has more importance to God than any other group. It was this mentality that led in part to the holocaust that resulted in the death of over six million Jews.

This mentality of one group being superior to another group has always been prevalent. It was seen in the rise of Babylon, then Medo-Persa, then Greece and Rome. In which the pagans hunted down those that called themselves “Christians” to being those that Called themselves “Christian” to supplanting the pagans of Rome. It was seen in the crusades. It was seen in the spread of Islam. It was seen in the conquest of Napoleon. It was seen by those that hunted down other humans to make slaves of them no matter the color of their skin. This mentality is showing its head once again, but that is another story.

Why mention all these things that show the sinful nature of humanity at this time?

Because there are those arguing over the covenant of God with a certain groups of people. Are they the Jewish people or are they now the Christians? The real answer?

God made a covenant with Abraham and made it clear that through his descendants His Son would come to redeem ALL. Not just Christian, not just Jews. All that acknowledged Him as God and that His Son is Jesus Christ. Now I want to look at this parable that was stated to the Pharisees and by the way note the Pharisees reply:

Matthew 21:33-41 NKJV – “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

The key statement is found in their pronouncement of their own fate:

“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

“Lease his vineyard.”

Lease – will let out – G1554 – ekdidómi – let forth, rent.

  1. Rent – a payment made periodically by a tenant to a landlord in return for the use of land, a building, an apartment, an office, or other property.

This means the item in question doesn’t belong to anyone. It is being given for use from the True Owner who is God.

Therefore, It doesn’t belong to Christians or Jews. It belongs to God who puts those who are leasing through a screening process.

A screening process called salvation and then seeking sanctification by following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ made it very simple. “Go and sin no more.”

Yet nowadays most live in sin and think they aren’t living in sin. Mainly due to how things have been presented to them by various influences about them and they aren’t even aware of it because they have not studied the Bible for themselves.

What do we know for sure?

Those that are left to suffer in the tribulation to come are ALL the enemies of God. Because the word “tribulation” means the punishment of an enemy.

Praying in public is a sin. Per Matthew 6:5-6. Yet they show people praying publicly everywhere. In movies on TV, this in itself should be a sign to those that understand, yet do they acknowledge it? No. Therefore, they live in sin and refuse to change their ways.

People seek after wealth and a fancy house and fancy vehicles as well as fancy clothes. Per 1 Timothy 6 that is all sin as verified by Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:19-24 and Luke 16:13-15.

Yet people again ignore these sins and think they are fine with God, which they aren’t.

So, Study the Word of God for yourselves. I don’t mean to read. I mean STUDY. For when you study the Word of God you will see that true salvation is only accomplished through obedience to God by following the teachings and commandments found in the Word of God.

Call to Discipleship per the Word of God (part 2)

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Earlier this week I began these special posts about seeking after to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ per the Word of God. In the first post I showed per the Bible itself that the core of discipleship is self-sacrifice and the requirement to downsize.

Luke 14:33 NKJV – So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Now. I wish to key in on the second major element of becoming a True disciple to Jesus Christ.

Luke 14:27 NKJV – And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Most do not fully understand the importance and the true meaning behind this verse. Yet it is extremely key to being a True disciple to Christ. Again, Jesus Christ Himself tried to explain this to help those that truly sought to be a True and complete “Christian” to come to understand. For you don’t listen. You can not be a disciple and so in turn you are not truly “Christian.”

Luke 9:57-62 NKJV – Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

When accepting to become a True disciple of Jesus Christ. A True “Christian.” We are not to look back at our past or how we lived our earthly lives. Most never do this and so in Truth are not “Christian.” For we are not a “Christian” until we become a disciple.

The True cost of taking up the cross is rejection from the world and the religious community. For the latter was  and still is filled with those that seek after what is esteemed by the world and understanding that the laws are still in effect.

Luke 16:13-17 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

For when you teach the True Gospel you are not making people happy in how they now live, but you make them uncomfortable, and they will hate you just as they hated Jesus Christ and hung Him upon a cross.

You must accept and become something that will cause you to be laughed at. Called names and ridiculed just as the apostles, and the prophets were.

 Matthew 5:10-20 NKJV  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Salt is bitter. So, then the Truth is bitter.

If what you are listening to is sweet. It is people pleasing and is twice cursed for those that speak it.

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV  I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

The True cost of carrying the cross:

Jesus Christ: wiped brutally, and crown of thrones forced onto His head and then hung upon the very cross he was forced to carry.

Peter: crucified upside down.

Matthew: while preaching the True Gospel in Ethiopia was killed with by the sword.

James the lesser: thrown from atop the temple, which didn’t kill him and then was beaten to death with a club.

James the great: placed on trial by the religious community of Jerusalem and beheaded.

Bartholomew also known as Nathaniel was taken in what is present day Turkey had his entire body whipped till he had no skin left.

Andrew: crucified in Greece.

Thomas: was stabbed with a spear in India.

Jude also known as Thaddeous: was killed by arrows when he refused to deny his faith.

Phillip: was also peaching in the lands known as present day Turkey and was beheaded.

Simon the zealot: was sawn in half in Persia.

Matthias the false apostle: was stoned and beheaded.

Paul: beheaded

Mark: tied to a team of horses and dragged through the streets of Alexandria, Egypt.

Luke: hanged in his homeland of Greece.

Stephen: stoned to death

John: boiled in oil yet lived. Then banished to Patmos and the only Apostle not to suffer martyrdom.

This is the cost of carrying the True cross and teaching the True Gospel.

Insight into the Great White Throne Judgment — revisited — The Judgment Card

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This is to those that accuse someone of “judging” when in fact they are only quoting or paraphrasing from the Bible. If the person living their life through the Bible points out that you are in error understand that is all they are doing. They are not judging you. Are they saying “you will roast in hell.”? Most likely not, for that IS judging. If they are point out what God say within the Bible they are trying to teach how to live a better life. A life that could lead to a glorious, honorable and immortal life with God. So the next time you choose to throw the “Judgement Card” who is really judging who?
So the other day someone posed a question to my wife we both assumed had to do with Romans 2:13.
They presented her with:
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Which is from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. The wife and I rely upon the King James since is it closer to the original by nearly half a millennia.
I personally go to the next level which is to use Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance as well as the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Why? Because this gets me as close as possible to the original inspiration of God upon the writers of the books of the Bible, even though there are some even closer, but I have no way of seeing those. In the KJV the verse reads as such:
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Also you must take the whole context of the discussion going on in the letter so we must expound further:
Romans 2: 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
The actual full context of the discussion as seen above is about people judging others yet at the same time they do the exact same thing. What this indicates is those that are hypocrites before God and so whenever someone throws out the “Judgement Card” by saying you are judging them they are in fact adding to their own sins against God. Especially when the person they are accusing of judging them is only showing that the Bible states this fact or that fact. It is not the person judging them, but the Word of God through the Bible. So in reality who is judging who? The one teaching what is right and true through the Bible or the one living the sin and stating that you are judging them? I will leave you to think upon that answer.
But on to the rest of the discussion within Romans. As the verses continue it comes to an understanding of how the Great White Throne Judgment will proceed and explains how those that have never heard of God or His Son Jesus will be judged by God Himself as well as those that have heard of Him. There are those that have never heard of God. EVER. Yet they through their own conscience knew what was right and what was wrong. These are those that will be called “just” in the KJV or “righteous” in the RSV.
Yet those that have heard of God and live their life’s as is stated they should within the context of the Bible will be deemed justified for they have been good and loyal servants unto God.
What it truly boils down to is through your actions you will ultimately be judged by God and it is how you live your life is what will be judged by Him. If you read the Bible and learn what is right and what is wrong within the sight of God and you follow His instruction manual a.k.a. the Bible you will be deemed justified for you have followed God to the best of your ability by following the Bible as best you could.
Now it must be made clear. That those in today’s day and age and say they do not know God will still be judged by God as if they did know God. Why do I say this? For example everyone in the United States of America knows there is a God. They may choose not to follow Him or even deny He really is, but they have heard Him mentioned. This in itself makes them liable to follow the teaching of the Bible and to live their lives within it teaches.
I must also add that when applying Bible verses try not to take them out of context. Always make sure you have the full context of what is being discussed within the Bible verses that surround the verse you are referring because it can be twisted and preferred in a way that justifies the reader in allowing themselves to live a sinful life so remember this:
Romans 2: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

If you are a Child of God then He has disciplined you and spanked you

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In Hebrew 12 it is spelled out what God does for those He loves if He has accepted you to be His child. In verse six it states that God so loves you that he discipline you and he flogs you. This is one of those concepts that many chose not to acknowledge or hear.
Chasten – 1 (Of a reproof or misfortune) have a restraining or moderating effect on (as adjective chastening) a chastening experience
1.1 archaic (Especially of God) discipline; punish.
They take the first part of the verse that God loves them and then ignores the rest. They also ignore the verse above this:
Hebrews 12: 4 – Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Why mention this and then two verse later mention that God so loves you that He disciplines and spanks you? It is answered in the next verses:
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
So if God is disciplining and spanking you because He has accepted you what is it he is doing this for? That is simple it is stated in the fourth verse: sin. This is why it is important to read the entire Bible, which most have not done. It is also important to read the book of Leviticus for within that book is everything God calls “sin.”
As you can see in the verses above the reason for these punishments is made clear. Verse eight is a startling statement and it is one that many need to read and think upon. For if you live in what is called a sin within the Bible and do not suffer punishment for it then God considers those to be “bastards, and not sons.”
Do you get the meaning of that? Do you get to understand what that means? God loves his children and so disciplines and spanks them, but if you flauntingly live in sin, any sin, and are not punished by God are you really His child?
Now I can tell you I have felt the discipline of God and I have been flogged by God. I know the pain and anguish that goes with it, but we are promised in verse eleven that in the end we will be seen as righteous and we will be considered a true child of God. These are not just words in a book. I have been through these very things. I have experienced them on a personal level. This is real. So God’s love is real, and if He loves you He will put you through some rough times. Why? To remove sin from you, for He know that even though we have asked His Son into our lives we still commit some sins, but the goal is to remove all sin. Starting with the worst sin first and the minor sins last. It doesn’t work the other way around where the minor sins are first and the major last.
So if you live a life that has what the Bible calls to be a major sin, and you feel no discipline or spanking from God to remove this sin from your life, then are really just a bastard, a pretender, a hypocrite? Only you can answer that.

The Pharisees dilemma

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Jesus’ greatest adversary was not Rome nor was it the violent radicals that sought the removal of Rome by force. In actuality his greatest adversary was those in control of the Jewish Religion. Why? Because Christ threatened their income. Not their believes even though many of these were not as God ordained or their faith, but their greed for they had turned their back upon God to become rich.
This is still true today, but it is no longer just the high priest of the Jewish religion that are an issue, but those of the Christian faith as well. No matter the church within Christendom it is all governed by greed and money for the most part even though they may say otherwise and profess against this statement. A church organization is a business period. Of course there are a few exception as it was in the time of Christ. There are those that buck the system and do not follow the doctrines established by this group or that group.
What they do follow is the very Word of God. Too many times if you challenge the system you become a target, something to be looked down upon. Your believes are challenged and called wanting. You are even accused of judging because you stand upon the foundation of the Bible even though you know that what you say is right and true yet they try and make you stagger and fall because you words were too harsh to follow, to narrow, they want it all be on the wide path to God. A path that actually goes nowhere, because having it so wide allows more cash to flow into the business.
Yet this is the path the modern Pharisees wish all to follow for it keeps their coffers full and their months fed. They teach you the kindness of God the niceness of Jesus, but they refuse to tell of the verses that condemn and require change within a person’s soul. A change that separates you from the world. A world they wish you to stay within. A world full of lies and corruption. Not telling you that you must live a life that gives glory to God. A life in which you try not to sin and in time stop that sin then you must face a new sin that was already there but not addressed and so your journey toward Christ continues. Ever changing ever growing, having bad fruit removed with good fruit that is pleasing to God.
Yet this is not the fruit they wish you to bear. They wish you to bear the fruit of indulgence and equality for all that live in sin. Yet we are told that we must separate ourselves from it. They say our numbers must grow so that more will be saved, but it is not the people that are wishing to save but the cash. Something they can horde for themselves and live a luxurious life while those that need it most look on in suffering and sorrow. We are told we cannot serve two masters, yet many within the hierarchy of most of today’s churches have become Pharisees.
It is time for a new grassroots movement. A movement that was like that of Jesus Christ’s, for His followers were thousands of everyday people and only a couple of the Pharisees. It was a true grassroots movement. Does this mean to leave your church of your choice? By all means no, but it does mean become an active member within it. Bringing about change when it is needed and removing the chaff so that the purity of God can be seen within it.
For far too long the churches of God have been silent as those that wish to remove God from the world have been shouting, deriding and attacking not only God but Christendom as a whole. For far too long there have been no true voices shouting in our defense and it is sorely needed, especially in times when thousands of Christians are being murdered throughout the world. If today’s Pharisees will not do it then the masses must do so.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: trials

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Trials come to all. It is what we are told will happen within the Bible. Some will be by God Himself. Testing our mind and our spirit. Challenging us to think, overcome, and if that does not work turn to His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have been going through one of these trials for about a month now. It is now time to put it into typed words what it is like to be going through this time of stress and hopefully growth in my faith.
From outward appearances the outcome seem to be bright, and bless by God. From within the struggle even though I do see the outward manifestation that is to come I still must make it through the dark tunnel to the light that awaits upon the other side of it.
It is not important the details of the trial before me, but it is one that in the long run will strengthen and hopefully allow my family to bond and to join as one. Through this trial I have seen the change within me from the man I was before my year of Job and the man I am today. I am actually doing things I only, maybe, thought of doing a few years ago. Now I know when the burden is more than I can carry on my own so I seek support from my soon to be wife and if that is still not enough we join together in pray. Turning over to God and allowing Him to lead us down the road He see that is best for us to go down. Should I go to pray first? I cannot answer that without thinking: “where is the growth?” A parent wishes his child to learn to stand upon their own two feet and not lean upon the parent anymore but to prove themselves to be adults. This I think is how God wishes us to grow as well. To stand upon our own two feet for as long as we can, but I must add that He wishes us to know when it is time to turn to Him and His Son and to seek their guidance and comfort.
It is hard to explain how to “know” which is the correct road, but I will say this. I can tell when it is me making the choice and when it is God directing me. I can sense within me that it is Him influencing me through the Holy Spirit, for I can tell it is coming not from within me, but from an external force that is guiding me down the right road.
It is important that people that call themselves “Christian” come to learn the difference, for when they do not, more times than not they listen to themselves more then they listen to God. As a result we have the society we now live within. A society full of pseudo-Christians, otherwise known as “hypocrites,” that cater to the latest whim and fad of “faith” being taught to them by those that have no real concept of God themselves. This is the thing that Jesus had to deal with when He walked the earth over two thousand years ago and had to deal with the leaders of the Jewish faith that would later crucify Him. They did not know because they did not listen God that Jesus was His Son, but on the third day when He rose from the dead all learned that He was truly the Son of God. Many today, even those that “lead” churches live like they are Pharisees.
A true believe in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ is to have the knowledge within oneself that God is not “in” you. True the Holy Spirit can fill you, for I have felt the pouring of the Holy Spirit into me, but I also know that the spiritual world and the real world are two different places. God, His Son and the Holy Ghost can and have gone between these two realms. We cannot at this time, but we are promised that we will when we loss the corrupted with the uncorrupted. It is from the spiritual place that we receive direction from God, which is beyond this temporal form we now live in. When can learn the difference through trials of your faith, much like the one I am now going through. You learn how to grow in your believe in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why Christians Ruin Christmas

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As my favorite time of the year approaches I tend to subconsciously cringe at some of the things I know I will have to inevitably experience throughout this most wonderful time of the year. I absolutely love colder weather, Starbucks donning the red cup, time with family, and crying from laughter as Grandma Griswald recites the pledge of allegiance.

But, what I don’t like is the amount of times I will have to read some angry mom’s social media post ranting about “Keep Christ in Christmas” or the ever so painful manger depiction that everyone knows too well. There it is though, everyone knows too well. Who doesn’t know the story of the birth of Christ Jesus? Atheist, agnostic and Christian alike all know this story. It’s in at least a tenth of the yards in America (or has been at one point) and as majority of people venture in…

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The sin called self-glorification

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Self-glorification seems to be the goal of many, to emulate yourself, to make yourself seem special, important, rewarded. This may appear right, but it is not. It is actually a type of selfishness.
In the last month, we were introduced to two individuals that practice self-glorification.
The first was a doctor in New York City, now hospitalized with Ebola.
The second a nurse, that lives in Maine and refused to take a three-week vacation in her home.
Both have done special acts, but their attitude of selfish behavior shows whom they were really doing these deeds for, themselves. Not those sick people or for God.
Self-glorification is a sin. True humility would have these people not questioning, but listening and respecting their neighbors, which is everyone else in this nation.