Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

New Years Resolution: We will stop trying to repent our way to heaven, witness our way to heaven, tithe our way to heaven, pray our way to heaven, or attend church to increase our odds of getting to heaven... "...because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. " (1 Timothy 4:10)

"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2) Think about that for a moment. "The whole world" Before Christ Jesus, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest of Israel would enter the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle to apply the blood of a bull calf sacrifice to the mercy seat to cleanse himself of sin. He would then leave to sacrifice a goat and return to apply the blood of the goat to the mercy seat for the sins of all other Israelites. As a result, the sins of all Israelites were atoned for that year. This occurred year after year, a never ending ritual of blood sacrifices, to atone for the sins of Israel. Then came Christ Jesus... "But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by

"No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means." --George Bernard Shaw "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel...if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be anathema!...For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:1-11) George Bernhard Shaw was correct. I would put it this way... "No religious institution of man believes what the Bible says, instead, they are convinced the Bible says what the religious leaders of that particular religious institution say it means." Thus the Bible has become a commentary on the various doctrines of the men. Instead of the Bible being the in