Correctly Handle the Word of Truth

“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 would read the Scripture I quote and come to me and explain why it does not mean what it says.

What they do not understand I am sure is that I share my views because I know that they must one day give an account for what they believe about God. I am concerned about them as much as they are about me. My venue for sharing my thoughts is Facebook and www.jrwlakey.blogger.com because it is the only venues I have.

It is not that I have some egotistic need to be correct or listened to, but I really, really, really do not want them be “ashamed” before God in the day of accounting for teaching or endorsing error. Especially the particularly awful heresy of eternal conscious torment in hell. That error says that our God and Father plans to, or allows, the eternal conscious torture of billions of people. And it is accepted and taught without a firm biblical foundation.

I have shown, and continue to show, through my blog and Facebook postings, that those passages of Scripture seeming to imply “everlasting punishment” or reading “tormented day and night, forever and ever”, or mention the “lake of fire”, etc. are either figures of speech, poorly translated into English or can be explained within the context of the clear teaching of the gospel given to Paul concerning the eventual salvation and reconciliation of ALL.

But most importantly, I want my children and grandchildren to hear and meditate on my views should they want, and read the Scripture backing up my views. Then they can make an informed decision whether what they hear in Church is true or not. I encourage them to compare what they hear in Church with what Paul taught in the Scripture like the "Berean Jews" did before they decide whether Christian traditions of men are valid...

“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)

Saved by Grace - Rewarded for Faith

“…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, not because of anything we have done, but because of his own "purpose and grace".

2. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus "before the beginning of time".

3. The truth of this salvation was hidden until Jesus came, died and then destroyed death by his resurrection.

4. Paul was appointed to tell this previously hidden good news.

5. Paul encouraged Timothy to "guard" this sound teaching, with faith and love.

In Chapter 2 Paul admonishes Timothy that those who do not “guard” this good news and "endure" any suffering for doing so will have some negative consequences if he were to “disown" what God and the Lord Jesus have done…

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus...I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 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.” (2 Timothy 2:1-13)

Paul has assured us that salvation is a result of the grace of God alone and does not depend on our faithfulness, but on the faithfulness of Christ Jesus. However, our faithfulness will be rewarded and will determine what we do in the ages following our death and resurrection. It seems to me that the faithful will REIGN with Christ and all others will be reigned over in the two ages which follow this present age. Paul tells Timothy…

1. Be Strong in the GRACE that is ours in Christ Jesus.

2. Entrust the gospel to those who also will be strong to teach the truth about God's Grace.

3. Suffer for this truth if necessary.

4. He who endures the suffering and "remains faithful" will REIGN with Christ.  

5. Disowning him by being "faithless" with regard to the truth, will result in being denied the reward of REIGNING with Christ. (during the next two ages).  Note that it is a loss of REWARD, not a loss of salvation..

Adolph E. Knoch said it better than I in his Concordant Commentary on 2 Timothy…

“This faithful (trustworthy) saying shows that our life and all that comes to us by His grace is immutable (salvation)—it depends on His faithfulness. Service, however, has two sides, reward and loss. Endurance will be recognized by a place of authority in His celestial realm. If we disown Him we cannot expect Him to give us a public place of power in the future. This does not infringe in the least degree on our salvation or life or anything which is ours by His grace.”

Paul makes it clear that it is loss of REWARD, not SALVATION, when he wrote to those in Corinth...

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a REWARD. If it is burned up, the builder will SUFFER LOSS BUT YET WILL BE SAVED..." (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

From the LEAST to the greatest

“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 from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25-27)

And Paul assures us that “the full number of the Gentiles” means ALL of them and instructs Timothy to “teach these things”…

“This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11

Thanks to the wisdom of the “greatest” theologians among men and other great men of this world (rich, rulers, politicians, and philosophers, etc.) there are few who have the joy of knowing that God is going to save everyone in the end. 

It is interesting to me that Scripture says this salvation is in the following order…

“from the LEAST to the greatest”.

It is kind of like saying “believe it or not, even the rich, politicians, atheists, philosophers and theologians will be saved and enter the Kingdom of God”. And they will…right after the rest of us!.

I like what John Wesley had to say about this…

“They shall all know me” (Jeremiah 31:34); not from the greatest to the least (this is that wisdom of the world which is foolishness with God) but “from the least to the greatest”; that the praise may not be of men, but of God. Before the end, even the rich shall enter into the kingdom of God. Together with them will enter in the great, the noble, the honorable; yea, the rulers, the princes, the kings of the earth. Last of all, the wise and learned, the men of genius, the philosophers, will be convinced that they are fools; will be “converted, and become as little children” (Matthew 8:3), and “enter into the kingdom of God.” - John Wesley (1709-1791), The General Spread of the Gospel, Sermon 63, 1872 edition.

Mighty To Save

“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 is “Mighty to eternally condemn them to Hell”.

Nevertheless, the Bible teaches that “the world” is the object of God's love and although “all have sinned”, He is “the Mighty Warrior who saves”. Listen as the Bible makes this clear...

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him..For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord..” (John 3:16-17; Romans 6:23)

I know, I know ”whoever believes in him shall not perish”. I undertand that and believe what it says, but it DOES NOT say “whoever does not believe in him during this life will be cast into hell to be tortured for all eternity” as Christianity has taught. Ask yourself, when a person is raised to life from death and is standing before the Judge, our Lord Jesus Christ, will they not all then “believe” that "Jesus Christ is Lord"? Believe what God says in the Bible, not what institutions teach that God says...

“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God...For this reason also, God highly exalted Him (Jesus), and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father..”. (Romans 14:10-12; Philippians 2:9-11)

AND when will this occur?...

“(when) 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 (after every knee bows and every tongue confesses) each man's praise will come to him from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)

All Must Give Account To God

“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 society in my opinion. But even if they are not caught in this age and punished, all of those evil people must give an account to God and endure whatever judgment God has determined is just after their resurrection.

However, His punishment will not include the awful and sadistic punishment of being tortured in hell forever and ever. That is a lie and should be exposed as such.

And even believers must give account to God after they die if we are to believe the Bible. Christianity implies that if one has accepted the “offer” of salvation then the person is saved and will never have to “account” to God for their actions after they die. They seem to believe that saved people just go to heaven when they die and all is well. Nevertheless, they will give an account as do the unbelievers because that is what the Bible says...

“For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God...For this reason also, God highly exalted Him (Jesus), and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father...(when) 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.” (Romans 14:10-12; Philippians 2:9-11; 1 Corinthians 4:5)

So when I emphasize the Salvation and Reconciliation of All, I am referring to the final condition of all mankind after God dishes out the chastening and discipline of a righteous Father. This may last for thousands of years but when God is finished, all will agree that the chastening that they endured was JUST. The final result will be that all creation will "bow" and "give praise to God" and all will "confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". 

God will then be “All in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).

A Good Read

"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 that it is but my choosing to believe it allows me to have a firm foundation for my search for "the truth", rather than be “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine” as the Bible says. (Ephesians 4:14). It has been hard enough for me to sort through the bad translations and false teaching of the Bible.

My study of the Bible has shown me that all mankind (regardless of their cultural circumstances or religious convictions) will eventually be “made free” or as the Swami might say - be  “enlightened” or reach “nirvana”.  After men die and are resurrected from the “natural body” to their final “spiritual body” they will then be immortal and sinless (the "nirvana" of the Swami in my opinion). Jesus instructed Paul to write the following about the resurrection of the body and soul of man…

“It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam (Jesus) became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual…Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-58)

And of course the “work of the Lord” is setting mankind “free” from death into immortal life. 

In referring to Jesus the Swami says…

“Jesus and others like him are free spirits; and Jesus of Nazareth took human form, not by the compulsion of his past actions, but just to do good to mankind. It is not that when a man becomes free, he will stop and become a dead lump; but he will be more active than any other being, because every other being acts only under compulsion, he alone through freedom”

The Swami’s analysis comes closer to the truth about Jesus than the views of some theologians of Christianity that I have encountered, but there is much much more to Jesus than just a "free spirit".  So I don’t plan on starting Yoga anytime soon, but again, thank you Nic, it was a good read.

God Loves Them Anyway

“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 world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth - GIVE ANYWAY.

Jesus said it this way 2000 years ago and he is the Word of God (without a copyright)…

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous… In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you…” (Matthew 5:43-44; 7:12)

People crucified the sinless Jesus - HE LOVES THEM ANYWAY

"Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

People tortured and killed His Son - GOD LOVES THEM ANYWAY

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him...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.” (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19)

Wings Like Eagles

“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 salvation at the return of Christ…

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once…so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin.” (Hebrews 9:27)

There is a new beginning for us all. One where sin is no longer doing its work of death in our mortal bodies. It is a promise of immortality. You and I will indeed “mount up with wings like eagles”, we will “run and not get tired” and “walk and not become weary”.  We can and should draw comfort from the promises of God which keeps us informed and peacefully resting in the hope of the resurrection…

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

"He is not fit to live"

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 salvation. The Jews wanted such a guy killed for thinking the wretched “Gentile dogs” would also be saved.

Nothing much has changed over the past 2000 years. Those religions who think they have a monopoly on salvation get mad at anyone who reminds them that God has said He loves the whole world and intends to save everyone. They may not try to kill you, but they won't invite you to their Temples to teach the good news. Nevertheless, the salvation of all sinners will happen, for that is the gospel of grace. And we are to to teach it.

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. PRESCRIBE AND TEACH THESE THINGS..." (1 Timothy 1:15, 4:10-11)

Deceitful Workers

“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 to warn them about believing what men like him have written down through the years.

This particular person has debated atheists, written over 70 books and authored countless evangelical tracks over the years. He has even written a commentary of sorts on the Bible - apparently the Bible is not clear enough for regular folks so it was necessary for this "worker" to clear it up.

Jesus had this to say about those like him 2000 years ago...

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

According to this guy anyone who says his Mom, Dad, Children or anyone else is a good person is calling Jesus a liar. Really, I don't think so.  There is liar in this scenario, but it is certainly not those who know some really good people and tell them so.

I really hope this guy isn't intentionally leading people astray. Satan is so good at deception and is such a good recruiter that his “deceitful workers” are mostly ignorant of their role and probably believe what they are saying. They work for or are the leaders of religious organizations, including Christianity. They usually promote obedience to the Law of Moses or Sharia Law or some other religious Law, and teach that obedience to that Law is the method for getting and staying saved, getting eternal bliss, and avoiding eternal conscious torment from the god they are promoting (sometimes even mixing in the word grace). And they all refer to those who don't join their group and tow the line as unbelievers or infidels.

And these “deceitful workers” of the Christian persuasion profess concern for the salvation of those who disagree with them (Islam not so much). Their methods are subtle, as Satan is subtle, but you can easily tell when they are of Satan. How you may ask?

They will base their argument on a lie, claiming or inferring that the lie is truth from their religious book. It is “no wonder” because Satan is the “father of lies”. It worked in the garden of Eden on Adam and Eve and it has been working ever since among mankind.

Now for the particular lie of the above “worker”. The lie is obvious to anyone who has read and studied the Scripture (so Muslims get a pass here). The lie is his statement that “the consequence of sin is damnation in hell”. Of course he does not give chapter and verse - there is none. It is interesting that both Christianity and Islam agree on this lie, they just disagree on what the sin that sends one there is.

These men will never quote in context the relevant Scripture which does tell mankind what is the consequence for sin - SOOOO I will do so and I will also quote what God says He has done about sin and for sinners, even for deceived "workers"…

“The wages of sin is DEATH…But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…the last enemy that will be abolished is death...that God may be All in all...death is swallowed up in Victory." (Romans 6:23; 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:22,26,28, 54)

The deceived "workers" will suffer the consequences of sin like everyone else and they will die - but Jesus will return and resurrect them and everyone else. Even these “deceitful workers” will reap the love of God and His free gift to sinners.  His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ransomed them, and has reconciled them to God. And He will freely give them eternal life...

“The wages of sin is DEATH but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...who gave himself a ransom for all...for it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach...it is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. PRESCRIBE AND TEACH THESE THINGS..." (Romans 6:23; Colossians 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:15-2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10-11; Colossians 1:20 )

According To His Mercy He Saved Us

"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 now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.” (Romans 11:28-32)

Note it is “God’s choice” to “shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all”. It is also “God’s choice” as to whom He will save.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” (Ephesians 1:3-4)

There is nothing clearer in Scripture to me than that the salvation of the sinner is “God’s choice” and it is “according to the kind intention of His will”. It is also clear to me that the institutional churches of Christianity do not believe God when they insist that salvation is the “free choice” of the individual. That does not make them bad people, but it does make them unbelievers as to how many people will be saved. Christian unbelievers…go figure.

Law or Grace

“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 Christ 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, which is “death”, but we will be freed from this death by our resurrection.

When the Law of God is the standard by which we are judged by God, what is the conclusion of the matter?

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…the wages of sin is death” (Romans 3:23; 6:23)

When the GRACE of God is the standard by which we are judged by God, what is the conclusion of the matter?

“For the grace of God hath appeared bringing salvation to all men…for by Grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God…for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord… the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory…” (Titus 2:11; Ephesians 2:11; Romans 6:23; Colossians 1:26)

So which applies today for mankind?  – Law which condemns the sinner, or Grace which saves the sinner?

“For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under LAW but under GRACE.” (Romans 6:14)

God is JUST

“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 God’s ways and words. Justice and power and wisdom are relative, but LOVE IS ABSOLUTE. He is never so just as when He justifies the unjust, for that is in line with His love. He is never so strong as when His weakness overpowers human strength, for that links it to love. He is never so wise as when His foolishness confounds the wisdom of men, for that glorifies love.

All His attributes appear and withdraw at the beck of love. All serve it and never go counter to its commands. We cannot reason that God will do thus and so because He is JUST, or strong or wise. Love may not give leave. But we can safely lay our heads on the bosom of His love and there learn the great lesson that He is love, and has both the power and wisdom to carry out the dictates of His affection. What clearer proof can be given that all that He has done and is doing is leading up to that grand ultimate when He will be All in all, and love will rest in being loved?”  A.E. Knoch (1874-1965) Concordant Commentary page 371

“God is love….Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…” (1 John 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Life is Glorious

“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 Corinthians 4:16-18)

“Outwardly” I am wasting away, looking older each time I look in the mirror. But at the same time “inwardly” I am refreshed day by day with the knowledge of the “eternal glory” which has been promised me by God. And so, as I grow older, I focus my eyes “NOT on what is seen, but on what is unseen”. This life is temporary, the next is “eternal” and I am content and at peace with that promise from God.

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Sir Isaac Newton on Prophecy

“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, not the interpreter’s, be then manifested thereby to the world. For the event of things, predicted many ages before, will then be a convincing argument that the world is governed by Providence.”

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
Observations on Daniel and the Apocalypse of John

When Jesus returns and fulfills all remaining prophecies, all will see and know that what God has planned was good for all, and the interpreter’s opinions will be seen to have been mostly fantasy and speculation. Do not place those men on pedestals, most make money from their speculation...and they know no more than what God reveals to us all…

“Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy... He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen." (Revelation 19:9-10, 20-21)

Paul the Tentmaker

“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 them. Men who receive wages for their service to the church, as sincere and necessary as we may deem them to be, are simply not capable of being the shepherd who can save the sheep. They may provide a service to the sheep, but they cannot save them.

But of Jesus, the true and only Shepherd, Paul informs us that...

“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification...he who knew no sin became sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

The Dominion of Man

“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 God. God has reserved for Himself all the decisions with regard to what happens after we die and has told us that He will save all humanity from death, and will not condemn anyone for all eternity.

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…God our Savior wills ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth… there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle… as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth...it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of ALL mankind, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:3-7; 4:9-11)

God will require humanity to give an accounting for their actions, and there will be some chastening associated with that accounting.

“So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)

Some think there is an exception for Christians but such religious teaching is false.  Live in such a way that you will not be ashamed when it is time to give your accounting to God.  Religious creeds or statements of faith created by men will not prevent such accounting.

"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28)