Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

"Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." (Romans 5:18) "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Organized Christianity quit believing and teaching this a couple of hundred years after Paul died, but it remains the truth from the Word of God none the less. Just as Adam's sin brought condemnation and death to all, Christ Jesus brought the free gift of righteousness and eternal life to all. Not just a few Christians....ALL mankind. "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) Only by believing Jesus and continuing in his word can you be his disciple.  Paul delivered the final words of Jesus -

March 20th - John Calvin vs Jacob Arminius Years ago I looked into the views of John Calvin and Jacob Arminius. I came away feeling like the author of the following Scripture. “Yet furthermore, my son, beyond these, be warned; of the making of many scrolls there is no end; and much study is a weariness to the flesh.”  (Ecclesiastes 12:12) I found that both John Calvin and Jacob Arminius taught that it was the GRACE of God that saves.  Calvin taught that God predestines some but not all to receive grace and salvation.  Arminius taught that it was up to the free will of each person to choose to be saved by the grace of God.  The truth is they were both wrong. They should have brought unity to the Body of Christ by saying at a joint press conference... "God, in his GRACE, has predestined the salvation of humanity, and all will eventually choose to place their trust in Jesus by the overwhelming evidence presented to them after their resurrection." Humanity has been predestined to

"...but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory....Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who LOVE Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:6-9) I think God loved ALL His creatures unconditionally at first sight - angels, animals and mankind. He could not have done otherwise because He IS love.  Because God is also omnipotent, He had a plan before He created which assures that every object of His love will eventually respond to that love joyfully and unconditionally. They will love Him back - forever. He will be "All in All" - everything to everyone.  If not in this age, then in the next.  He has the ages to work out His plan, and He has all the patience of a perfect loving Creator and Father. I have known a few people (mostly women) who seem to love unconditionally.  Almost at first sight they realized it and felt it.  They l

" You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God " (Matthew 22:29). From time to time we all " are mistaken " because we do not know "the Scripture nor the power of God." Don't just believe someone because you think he is a "man of God." The Jews thought the priests, Pharisees and Sadducees were "men of God." How did that work out for them? "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life..." (2 Corinthians 1:8) Occasionally God puts more on us than we can bear.  It is popular among Christians to say the opposite and I suppose Christians think so because of the following verse.  "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." (1 Corinthians 10:13) There is a big difference between temptation to sin and suffering persecution. Paul says he and those with him were burdened  "beyond measure" . They were not being tempted to sin, but were having "trouble" so intense that they   "despaired even of life."     Sometimes we suffer for doing good. If we survive those times, there is much joy when it is over.  And even if we don't survive, God still  "

"And the multitude of those sleeping in the dust of the ground do awake, some to life age-during, and some to reproaches -- to abhorrence age-during." (Daniel 12:2 Young's Literal Translation) In the above passage, God is speaking to Daniel about Israel at the close of this present age.  It will be a time of great distress for Israel. The book of Revelation gives details about that period of time which is called in various places in the Bible  "the time of Jacob's trouble" ,   "the day of the Lord ",   "the 70th week of Daniel" and "the great tribulation" .  At the close of that period all believers among the Israelites who have died will be raised to life by Jesus. These resurrected saints, together with the living Israelites who have endured to the end of that period, will reign with Jesus and teach the nations during the 1000 years which follows, which is generally referred to as the Kingdom Age or Millennium. At the end

"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) That is a good thing Paul, because you sure are not pleasing us, your Jewish family and friends with your teaching. For instance Paul, how can you say: "For from Him and through Him and for Him are ALL things." (Romans 11:36) Surely you do not mean "ALL things" are from God, do you Paul? What you really mean is all "good things", don't you? We just can't believe you, so we will add "good" to fit what we believe. And you cannot possibly mean it when you say God... "...is the Savior of ALL PEOPLE, and especially of those who believe." (1 Timothy 4:10) Paul, what you really mean is that God is "offering" to save all people who believe, aren't you? We'll add the word "offering" to help you out. And o

“Christ is the head of the church: and He is the Savior of the Body.” (Ephesians 5:23). The Greek word for church is "ecclesia" and literally means "the out called ones."  It is a reference to those who, like Jesus, will be "out called" from death and resurrected to immortal life. All the dead will be resurrected, the righteous and the wicked. "... there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked."   (Acts 24:15).   Paul assures us that Jesus "died for ALL" . "...we are convinced that one died for ALL, and therefore ALL die. And He died for ALL, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again... God was RECONCILING the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation..." (2 Corinthians 5:14-21) Paul was chosen to share this "secret"  of universal salva

"After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, this is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." (Luke 22:17-20) It is important to remember that this event occurred at a Jewish Passover meal. The Passover is one of seven feasts which the Jewish people are to observe. These feasts have absolutely nothing to do with Gentiles like me and most of you reading this. So what is Jesus saying to his Jewish followers?  Jesus is simply informing them that He would not be around for any more Passovers until the coming of the kingdom of God. That kingdom has NOT come yet. The Bible clearly says that when it comes, it will include a New Cove

"Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) Sometimes in my random thoughts I may appear to be judging those who hold different views. My intent is just to share my thoughts on Scripture. We are told in Scripture that we are the work of God (Ephesians 2:10). He has the ages in which to complete His work of making humanity in his image - even those who seem too evil to change, or too stubborn. In time He will successfully complete His plan of becoming All in Al

“…What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived — the things God has prepared for those who love Him — these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11) It is rare to hear about God's plan for his creation in a traditional Christian church. I have met only a few in the ministry who have even an opinion about the grand and detailed plan found in the Bible. Following is a summary of what I heard growing up: “The Trinity (God, the Son and the Holy Spirit) created everything, and Adam and Eve were the first humans created. They were deceived by Satan, disobeyed God and sin and death came into the creation along with all the evil that follows sin.  After a few thousand years God decided to send his Son Jesus to pay the price for sin by dying on a cross which makes salvation possible. God brought Jesus back to life and he is now in Heaven and through the gospel preached by those who believe in him, people are now o

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are going about the sea and the dry land to make one proselyte, and whenever he may be becoming one, you are making him more than double a son of Gehenna than you are." (Matthew 23:15) I think I will refrain today from commenting on the application of this verse to our day and time.  I don't have many friends in high places as it is.  Don't want to lose the few I still have left.  

Speaking to Israel God promised... “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I WILL gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I WILL sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I WILL cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I WILL give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you...I WILL save you from all your uncleanness...THEN you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and you will loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices... Note that it is AFTER HE changes their hearts and puts His Spirit within them that He says they will "loathe yourselves for your sins" . In other words, true repentance occurs AFTER they realize God has saved them, not before. "...I want you to know that I am NOT doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!.. I the LORD have spoken, and I WILL DO IT." (Ezekiel 36:24-32) Salvation and right