Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

“They asked Him, 'Why do you speak in parables'? Jesus answered them 'Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. . . .Therefore speak I to them in parables'...” (Matthew 13:10-15) Many teach that a parable is a simple story with a heavenly meaning inferring that it helps common people understand the truth. Obviously that is not true. Even Jesus's disciples didn't understand what he meant at first. I do not understand them all after over 40 years of study. Jesus clearly taught that the parables were given to hide the "mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" from those who did not need to understand. That is not to say they will never know, just not necessarily in this age. Do not beat yourself up when you do not understand everything you read in the Bible. The vast majority of people who have lived in this world have never even seen a Bible, and will not hear about their salvation until AFTER t

"A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth."  (2 Timothy 2:24-25). All who teach should embrace what A. E. Knoch said of this passage of Scripture:  "The servant of the Lord must not strive. Under the severest provocation he must be gentle; under the most provoking and insistent ignorance he must teach; under the most exasperating and long-continued opposition he must be patient. His business is not to strive,  but to correct; and to do this with all the meekness which God’s grace alone can impart. The rest he must leave to God, for He alone can give the change of mind which will acknowledge the truth." A. E. Knoch (1874-1965) The True Basis of Fellowship Hard hearts hardened by centuries of opposition to "the truth" can only be changed by God

“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things." (Philippians 3:18-19) So who are these “enemies of the cross” Paul was referring to?  Paul was talking to the Jewish leaders who did not believe that their Messiah would or could die on a cross. The “enemies of the cross” among the Jews are those who refuse to believe that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and not obedience to the law of Moses, would save them from their sins.  Today the “enemies of the cross” are those who insist salvation is limited to a few who wisely accept God’s offer to save. That it takes the cross PLUS something else, whatever their particular denomination adds. This doctrine of limited salvation is destined to be destroyed when the cross is shown to have accomplished the “finished” work of

“Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven…anyone who says, you fool! will be in danger of the fire of gehenna…If your right hand offend you, cut it off, it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into gehenna…love your enemies…be ye perfect even as your heavenly Fath er is perfect.” (Matthew 5:20, 22, 30, 44, 48) There you have it. If you want to stay out of gehenna, all you have to do to stay out of it is to love your enemies, not call anyone a fool, cut off any limb that is offensive, and then be perfectly righteous like God.  If that is your gospel, I got some bad news - you and everyone else is going to "the fire of gehenna" . "There is none righteous, no not one...all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:10, 23) So what is Jesus teaching? The Jewish leaders had asked about the works necessary to enter the Kin

Many would agree that the three most important founding fathers of the United States were Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.  It is interesting how they are perceived by some Christian leaders, both Catholic and Protestant.  Paine is accused of being an Atheist, Jefferson a Deist, and Adams both Deist and Unitarian.   What Christians actually mean in their criticism is that these Founders did not agree with the doctrines of the institutional Christian church.  To these Christians, those beliefs made them something less than Christian. Nothing has changed, those who think outside the box of traditional creeds and statements of faith are labeled by some as something less than godly or "Christian."  Fundamentalist Jews thought the same thing of Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Basically, a study of these men shows that they all acknowledged a Divine creator but to them He was unknowable by mere men.  To them He was bigger than the box that religion confines h

Have you ever heard someone say "He is so heavenly minded he is of no earthly good?" I have known people who think this came from the Bible. Of course it didn't. In fact, the Bible says something entirely different. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:2,3) So what does it mean to "set your affection on things above" ? What it means for me is that this earthly life is pretty short so I do not put all my effort in amassing material stuff that I will leave behind. I want to focus more on the place my family and I will be AFTER death - the place where Jesus has gone to prepare for us. "I go to prepare a place for you, and I will return for you so you can be where I am." (John 14:2-3) The best thing we can leave behind when we exit this world is fond memories for those we leave behind, and a testimony of our hope in what comes next. Jesus, our Savior,

“What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: So that you may be proved right when you speak, and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:3-4) Human unbelief does not prevent God from being faithful to humans. That would make God a human. He uses human unbelief as a CONTRAST to His faithfulness. He also uses human evil as a contrast to his goodness. He uses the mortality of fleshly human death to contrast with His gift of spiritual immortal life. He uses our failure (sin) to contrast his success. He uses our hate to contrast with His love. He uses our sickness to contrast His health. I could go on and on. THE REASON FOR EVIL IN THIS LIFE IS TO ALLOW HUMANITY TO APPRECIATE ITS ABSENCE IN THE NEXT! But instead of seeing the contrast and glorifying God, many Christians just do not get it. Why? Because they have believed the lie and decided that it is their “free will” that

“Men! Brethren! …To us was the word of this salvation dispatched… we are bringing to you the good news… the pardon of sins… remain in the GRACE of God…Now on hearing this, the nations rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord” (Acts 14:26-48) That is how it began. When Paul began to tell the world that their sins have been pardoned by the GRACE of God, everybody who heard rejoiced, EXCEPT the religious Jews who were offended that God would pardon the sins of everyone, even the gentiles. “Yet the Jews spur on the reverent, respectable women, and the foremost ones of the city, and raised up persecution for Paul and Barnabas, and they ejected them from their boundaries...” (Acts 14:50-52) 2000 years later not much has changed. Those who hear for the first time Paul’s message of the free gift of salvation by the pure GRACE of God rejoice and want to worship and praise God. That joy remains until the religious folks get involved and turn them away from the good news. "...everyone

“Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake."   (Matthew 5:10) "...all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2 Timothy 3:12) What is the righteousness that is being persecuted?  It is the TRUTH about God's plan for humanity. “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the TRUTH.”   (John 18:37) It is interesting that Jesus was only persecuted by Jewish religious leaders.  Jewish sinners and publicans loved him.  And the Roman leaders did not get involved until the Jews handed him over to them demanding he be crucified.  Persecution also happened often to Paul, the Apostle to the Nations. So why did they persecute them?  Because the TRUTH Paul was sharing was unpopular and challenged the traditional religious beliefs about God. But it was the religious leaders who were destroying the word of God with their traditions. "You are destroying

"For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised was also at work in me as an apostle to the uncircumcised. James, Peter and John...agreed that we should go to the uncircumcised (Gentiles) , and they to the circumcised (Israel) ." (Galatians 2:8-9) Most Christians say that they are followers of Christ. None of us however have actually met Jesus. James, Peter, John and Paul were actual followers of Jesus and wrote the books of the Bible that are attributed to them. Christians actually follow and trust what those men say about God and Jesus in those New Testament books. I am a Gentile and therefore I am particularly interested in what Paul says in his letters - Romans through Philemon. Paul tells me about God and Jesus and what they have done for me and all others. God's message to Israel (Old Testament as well as the books of the New Testament not written by Paul) do not have direct application to me. They were written to Israel and I can't claim

"Lo, a secret to you am I telling!...we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible..." (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)  A secret is just additional information about something previously unknown. Paul was told to teach this secret to the nations and he suffered for doing so and eventually those in Asia were turned from this good news by the religious doctrines of the Jews. But Paul was not ashamed of the good news because he was persuaded it was true. So am I, regardless of the religious doctrines of those who have left Paul's "secret" behind. “ You are aware that all in the province of Asia were turned from me…N ot ashamed am I of the good news, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes..." (2 Timothy 1:15; Romans 1:16) God has promised to give people eternal life after death. This good news is the result of the  "GRACE&q

“God our Savior…will have all humanity to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4) “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy1:15) "The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life...." (Romans 6:23) What does a person have to do to be saved?  Only two things. First you have to be BORN. Second you have to DIE.  Since all will be saved, the important thing is to become AWARE of our salvation and believe it is true...thus being able to have peace and joy. That belief comes from hearing about it. "Faith comes from hearing..." (Romans 10:17) Note that it is not salvation that comes from hearing, but faith (belief). It is clear from Scripture that all will bow and confess Jesus is Lord. (Philippians 2:10-11).  "Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Philippians 2:10) Confess means to “agree with” and thus have faith that Jesus is the

"Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God." (I Corinthians 4:5). This can be kind of scary but we need to see it as a blessing. When Jesus comes again to resurrect the dead we are told that the hidden things and even the motives of the hearts shall be illuminated. Paul was talking to everyone, including believers, so just being "saved" does not prevent this examination. But the examination is not for condemnation or punishment, but for  “praise" from God. Sin has been atoned for by the blood of Jesus at the cross so the hidden things and motives that are being judged here are for the purpose of receiving "praise" . I think a lot of Christians will be surprised at what will NOT be praised. I also think Christians will be surprised that some wh