Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

"...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this GRACE in which we now stand." (Romans 5:1-2) Sinners are standing in the  "GRACE"  of God, regardless of whether they presently know it or believe it. However, only by believing that we have been saved by Grace can we  "access"  the joy  of this "GRACE in which we now stand" .  We do not "access"  our salvation by faith but the joy  in knowing of our salvation.  Again, we sinners are saved by the "GRACE" of God because of his "great love" , whether we know it now or not. It is a gratuitous "gift" ... "But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!…it is the gift of God..." (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8) By "access" Paul is referring to how we enter into th...

About fake news from the liberal press... "...there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies...these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories." (2 Peter 1:1-3) The liberal news is bad enough but Islamic radicals take it to another level all in the name of their god.  But God, the real one, is not the god of religious terrorists... "For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endures to all generations." (Psalm 100:5) With the availability of the internet and open borders these terrorists can easily spread their "destructive heresies" .  They are adept in using "fabricated stories" to fool and control young people.  They have no regard for the "truth"  saying anything to gain or retain power. T hey deserve to go to hell in my view. Nevertheless, they are to be reconciled to God like all sinners...so  I do not believe God will eternally torment radical mus...

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth....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." (John 1:14; 1 Timothy 4:9-11) If there is a hell where God casts unbelievers to be tortured forever, did God create it? And if He puts anyone there did He know He would put them there before he created them? Would you create a child knowing you were going to torture them forever?  If God puts in hell only those who reject the "offer" of salvation from it, would it be better for "the heathen folks" if Missionaries did not make the offer at all? If hell is real, how does that impact the issue of abortion? Which fetus has the best shot at not going there?  I...

"Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." (Galatians 3:24-25) Paul says the Law (given to Israel through Moses) served as a tutor for the Jews until they are brought to Christ and are justified by believing that Jesus Christ is their Messiah.  Once they believe they no longer need the Law for it will have served its purpose.   Although we Gentiles never were under the Law of Moses, we do observe from studying Israel that the Law of Moses, or obedience to church Creeds or Statements of Faith, can save or justify anyone.  It is only by the GRACE of God that anyone is saved, Jew or Gentile, believer or unbeliever.   "... I do not nullify the GRACE of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly... " So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God...There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is the...

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.   But he said to me,   “My grace   is sufficient for you, for my power   is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) The apostle Paul had a “thorn in his flesh” which was frustrating to him and he had petitioned the Lord three times to take it away.  The above is the answer from God to Paul’s petition. Paul was content with that answer… “ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.   That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight   in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,   in persecutions,   in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10-11) But I wonder how he could be content.  Maybe it was because Paul was a student of the Old Testament Scripture and found comfort in the words of Isaiah… “Do you not know?  Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, th...

Following is a paraphrase from an article I recently read which was interesting to me. “The portions of religious Creeds and Statements of Faith which conform to the truth are useless. Why? Because what need is there of a creed or statement if we have the inspired writing in our hands. And religious creeds and statements of faith which do not conform exactly to the truth of the inspired writing only lead to confusion and division…which is rampant.” So why do we have them? Beats me...read the Bible. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)