Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Keep reminding God’s people of these things… Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:11-15) I appreciate those people who have concern about my thoughts and views, at least those who love me and may sincerely think I have fallen into error.  And of course I am referring to my view that all will eventually be saved and reconciled to God.  And that no one will be subjected to eternal conscious torment in the hell of Greek Mythology.  Most of them have not tried to change my mind, but they do express their concerns to others from time to timed.  I UNDERSTAND and do not feel bad about them doing so. I just wish they ...

“…join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:8-14) Paul was suffering for teaching the good news that… 1. God has saved us,...

“This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:10-12) This was written to the Hebrews (Israel) concerning their salvation. In his letter to the Romans Paul affirms that all Israel will be saved but adds: “after the full number of the Gentiles have come in” … “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away f...

“ The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing....Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Zephaniah 3:17; Luke 19:9-10) While reading the above I was reminded of one of my favorite childhoods heros, who would come on the scene of a difficult situation with these words... “ Here I come to save the day...” - Anyone else remember this mighty cartoon character? Mankind has a God who is a “Mighty Warrior who Saves” and He is definitely not a cartoon character although many Atheists and Philisophers think so. I think they are mostly rejecting Christianity's portrayal of Him than anything else. And who could blame them – most Christian evangelicals over the years have projected a view of a god who is mad at the world of sinners and ...

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (1 Timothy 1:15; Colossians 1:20) I think I am sometimes misunderstood by being so adamant about the final Salvation and Reconciliation of ALL mankind to God. I am adamant about it because it is what the Bible teaches and it is not being taught by mainstream institutional Christianity. If I do not share this good news, then who will? That being said, it is not correct for people to assume that I do not believe there are and should be consequences for sin, including the sin of unbelief, both in this life and in the next. Bad people should be punished for their sin in this life by enforcing the laws of the Land. Evil people like abusers of children and the Terrorists of this world should themselves be killed and removed from so...

"If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32) A friend of mine on Facebook posted a link to an article written by Swami Vivekananda relating to the Vedanta Philosophy and commented that it was “a good read”. He was correct and I enjoyed reading the article. This Vedanta Philosophy reminded me of the above words from Jesus. The truth that will “make you free” remains the truth whether we believe it or not, or however and whenever God allows us to find it. And I am convinced ALL mankind will find it, and it will set them "free" . They are to become one with God, finished in His very image, according to the Bible. I occasionally read the writings of other religions, but I have made the conscious choice to restrict my personal search for truth to the Bible simply because it is the only religious book which categorically claims to be the Word of God. I cannot prove...

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…all things came into being through it, and apart from it nothing came into being that has come into being…the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-14) American author Kent M. Keith wrote the following which is known as the “Paradoxical Commandments”, sometimes mistakenly attributed to Mother Teresa... People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered - LOVE THEM ANYWAY If you do good people will accuse you of a selfish, ulterior motive - DO GOOD ANYWAY If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies - SUCCEED ANYWAY The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow - DO GOOD ANYWAY Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable - BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight - BUILD ANYWAY People really need help but may attack you if you help them - HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY Give the ...

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:28-31) I am reminded daily of my mortality through various aches and pains that were not there when I was a “youth” . And I am reminded in the Scripture that one day I must go “the way of all the earth” .  As King David's time to die drew near, he said to his son… "I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man….” (1 Kings 2:2) Good advice for our sons and grandsons.  And in the book of Hebrews the writer reminds each of us of our salvat...

Paul relates to us how and why he was nearly killed by the Jewish leaders… “Then it happened that after my return to Jerusalem, while I was at prayer in the Temple, unconscious of everything else, I saw him (Jesus), and he said to me. Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, for they will not accept your testimony about me. And I said, But, Lord, they know how I have been through all the synagogues imprisoning and beating all those who believe in you. They know also that when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed I stood by, giving my approval - why, I was even holding in my arms the outer garments of those who killed him. But he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles. They (Jewish leaders)had listened to him until he said this, but now they raised a great shout, Kill him, and rid the earth of such a man! He is not fit to live!" (Acts 22:17-21) All was well and good until Paul told the Jews that Jesus had sent him to the Gentiles with the gospel of salvat...

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…" (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) I recently read a quote from one of those “workers” , a Jewish Christian evangelist from down under (appropriate). It went in part like this…. “It deeply concerns me when I hear a professing Christian telling an unbeliever that he is a good person…Anyone who says that human beings are good are calling Jesus a liar…it makes me doubt the genuine nature of the Christian’s salvation…to fail to warn sinners of the terrible consequences of sin (damnation in hell) is the ultimate betrayal of Jesus…” Don't get me wrong I could care less about what this guy is deeply concerned with, and because I am personally familiar with what the Bible actually says by reading and studying it for myself, he cannot deceive or offend me. I am posting this to my blog because I love my family and friends and want...

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3:5) Think about that in light of what you have been taught. Compare it to the traditional teaching that “He saved us” when we accepted His offer of salvation, or when we repented of our sins, etc. The Mercy from God is NOT conditional. It is freely poured out on all sinners from the boundless and unending love of God, Who, in His omnipotent wisdom, has determined that it was good for all mankind to become disobedient. Why? In order that He may demonstrate that He is merciful. Paul was addressing the disobedience of Israel when he said… “From the standpoint of the gospel they (Israel) are enemies for your (Gentiles) sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also...

“Abraham had two sons…which…are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage (Law of God) …and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—but the Jerusalem above is free (Grace of God) , which is the mother of US ALL…So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Ch rist has made us free (Grace) , and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (Law) .” (Galatians 4:22-5:1) We sometimes get all theological when we talk about “covenants” and covenant living. But Paul is using the term “covenants” in reference to those God made with Israel (Both the Old and New Covenants are with Israel alone). They are used by Paul as an example of the simple truth that the GRACE of God has set ALL mankind free from the punishment demanded by the LAW of God in the Old Covenant with Israel. We do not avoid the punishment for the sin of Adam, w...

“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:8) I often hear or read from evangelists that God must assign unrepentant sinners to HELL because God is JUST.  By Hell they mean eternal conscious torment and their reasoning is that this is what a JUST God must do.  Think about that.  And it is humorous to me that many of them are against Capital Punishment.   I wonder how anyone would listen to such a person. Following is the best commentary on the difference between the LOVE of God and the truth that God is JUST. Note that the complete Commentary of the Concordant Version of the New Testament is available on the right side of this Blog.  If you must read a commentary on the New Testament this is the one you should read. “We are never told that God is justice, or God is power, or God is wisdom. These are His attributes, not His essence. The distinction is of vital import, in the conflicting maze of reasoning concerning...

“For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!” (2 Corinthians 4:10-11) This life we have is “glorious” even with all its “troubles” , but this glorious life fades away and death will come to all of us. When I was younger I did not think about this much. I knew it to be true but it seemed so far away that it was easy to ignore. But as I approach 65 and retirement I have become more thankful for a knowledge of Scripture. This life is glorious, but the next “far outweighs” the glory we have in this life. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Co...

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.” (Revelation 1:1) After years of personal study of the book of Revelation and its prophecy, and reading many articles and books by famous Christian men who have attempted to interpret those prophecies and predict the future, it has become clear to me that Sir Isaac Newton’s observation of those interpreters is correct… “The folly of interpreters has been to foretell times and things by this prophecy of the Revelation, as if God designed to make them prophets. By this rashness they have not only exposed themselves, but brought the prophecy also into contempt. The design of God was much otherwise. He gave this, and the prophecies of the Old Testament, not to gratify men’s curiosities by enabling them to foreknow things, but that, after that they were fulfilled, they might be interpreted by the event; and His own providence, ...

“I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me” (Acts 20:33, 34). Paul was a tentmaker, and those who traveled with him I assume were his employees who also worked in his trade of making tents. He was chosen by God to bear the good news of salvation to the world, which he did as he traveled and worked at his trade. NOTE: He had no Church from which he received wages and he built no church buildings in the various towns he traveled to in his trade. Those who believed his teaching met in homes. “He that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep” (John 10:12-13). Jesus alone is the shepherd of the sheep. He has no “hireling ” for he alone owns the sheep and cares for...

“What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas.” (Psalm 8:4-8) It was suggested to me that if God is going to save everyone eventually (which He is according to the Bible) then we should just walk away from all of the atrocities we encounter in this life by evil men and do nothing about it.  It seems odd to me that anyone who had read the Bible would make such a suggestion. God has given humanity “dominion”  and dominion requires that we do everything we can to protect others and punish those who do not…with death if necessary.  But the dominion God gave humanity is subject to the ultimate Will of...