The Reconciliation of All - How it all ends

There is one God and there is one Lord, God's only begotten Son.  

"...there is one God, the Father, out of Whom all is, and we for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all is, and we through Him..."  (1 Corinthians 8:6-7)

"The Father has dispatched His Son, the Savior of the world." (1 John 4:14-15)

"In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loves, and dispatches His Son, a propitiatory shelter for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

God sent His Son into the world to be a ransom for all, and to reconcile all created beings to God. When done, God will be All in all of creation.

"There is one God, and one mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent RANSOM for ALL..." (1 Timothy 2:5)

"...to RECONCILE ALL to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens" (Colossians 1:20)

"Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in all.”  (1 Corinthians 15:28)

The name Jesus means salvation because that is what He will do for mankind.

"You shall be calling His name Jesus, for He shall be saving His people from their  sins." (Matthew 1:21)

"I am bringing you a gospel of great joy which will be for the entire people, for today was brought forth to you a Savior, Who is Christ, the Lord." (Luke 2:11)

A few know Him as Savior today, but in time, every person who has ever lived will come to know, and will acknowledge that Jesus is the savior of the world.

"...we ourselves have heard Him, and we are aware that this truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ." (John 4:42)

"Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers." (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

Before the beginning of the world as we know it, God was all there was. At some point before the beginning of the world as we know it, God brought forth out of Himself His Son as the first creature ever created. Together, God and His Son planned and predestined all that happens. When the planning was done they created everything needed to accomplish their plan - the Big Bang as Science likes to call it.  The bible records the beginning, decline and restoration of this Creation as it plays out over 5 long periods of time called Eons (Ages).

Following is a brief summary of these ages as the bible reveals them:

Age 1 - Genesis 1:1-2. 

1) In this age, God and His Son created the original heavens and earth, which included a host of celestial spiritual beings residing among the heavens, some good called Angels and some bad.

2) The bad ones rebelled against the authority of God and the Lord. They were led by Satan. This age ended when the earth came to be without inhabitants, and darkness was over the whole planet.

Age 2 - Genesis 1:3-7:24: 

1) God and His Son restore the earth to its original perfection, and created all life that dwells on our planet, including human beings. The first human, Adam, was created out of the soil, and the first woman, Eve, was created out of a part of Adam. God breathed life into them and they became living souls.  Using the chronology set forth in the Scripture we can learn that the year 2028 AD will mark the 6,000th year since Adam was created.

2) Adam and Eve at first lived in a place named Eden, a paradise created on earth by God specially for them.  In time, influenced by Satan, they disobeyed God by eating from a forbidden tree located in Eden called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  

God banished them from Eden for that sin.  The result was they would have to work hard to survive, and a decaying process started in their bodies which would eventually end in death. The decay apparently resulted from being denied the fruit from another tree in that garden called the tree of life.  All of their children and grandchildren, right down to us, also die because of this one sin. They learned that evil separates people from God, but they children continue to do evil for the rest of age 2 until God was feed up with all of them.

3) Age 2 ended approximately 1756 years after the creation of in a worldwide flood that killed all humans and all land based animals except those on an ark built by Noah and his family.

AGe 3 - Genesis 8:1 through Revelation 19:21:

1)  God started over with Noah and his family.  They had found grace in the eyes of God.  Grace just means unmerited favor.  Noah had three sons named Ham, Shem and Japheth. They are the ancestors of all human beings living today. Most of the Bible is a record of events that take place during this age 3.

2)  Three of the descendants of Shem were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  God made an undconditional promise to them that they would be a great nation someday.  This nation came to be known as Israel and is still around today.

3)  God promised them that one from their nation would be a blessing to ALL mankind. This was a reference to Jesus when the Son of God became a man.

4)  All other descendants of Noah came to be the other Nations of the world and are referred to as Gentiles in the bible.

5) Around the year 5 BC, God sent His Son from heaven to earth to be born a human being.  He was the exact image of God on earth.  If you learn what He was like, you know what God is like.  He was born of a young virgin girl from Israel. She named him Jesus which means the Savior.  He lived on earth for a little over 33 years.  Some recognized who He was and called Him the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. He was both.  However, He was rejected by the leaders of both Israel and the gentiles, and died as a criminal by crucifixion upon a cross.  

He was raised to life after being dead for three days and three nights.  He spent another 40 days on earth, then He went back into heaven as the first man to die and be raised to never ending immortal life.  He is now back with God waiting to return the earth some day.

6) From the time Jesus ascended back into Heaven, God has been preparing a group of people out of all nations to be examples of how loving and gracious God is.  The group is called the body of Christ is the Bible and Jesus is the head of the body. 

This special group of believers is composed mostly of Gentiles, although Paul, an Israelite, was the first member and tells us about about the grace of God, the salvation of all people and the reconciliation of the whole creation back to God.  Much of what he teaches in the Bible was a secret until Jesus revealed it to him. 

Those who believe what he teaches are also members of this special group.  They too are to tell people about Jesus.  This body of Christ will one day be snatched away into the heavens where they will meet Jesus. This will occur just before Jesus returns to earth. In heaven the members of the body will reign with Jesus and be a testimony to the love and grace of God to those good and bad angels who live in the heavens.

I am one of those members and so are you if you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sin, was buried, and was raised to life again by God.  Together, we will explore the Universe and tell those created beings who rebelled against God that they too are reconciled to God by blood that Jesus shed on the cross.

7) Age 3 will end in the huge world war which will bring incredible suffering to Israel and the other nations on this earth. We will already be gone into heaven when that happens.  Jesus will physically return to this earth to end that war and set up a kingdom on earth where He and Israel will rule over the entire planet.

Age 4 - Revelation 20:1-10: 

1)  This age begins with the return of Jesus to the earth.  He will set up the Kingdom promised Israel on this earth and they will rule for 1,000 years.

2) 75 days after Jesus returns to earth, all of the dead believers of Israel will be resurrected to rule and reign with him over the gentile nations left alive after the final war. Jesus will rule in perfect righteousness and Satan is not allowed to deceive people for most of the 1,000 years.

4) Toward the end of age 4, Satan is once again set loose to try and deceive the Gentile nations into rebelling against the reign of Jesus on the earth. He will succeed and another war will come.  But God brings a swift and final judgment and this earth is completely destroyed by fire.

Age 5 - Revelation 20:11 through 22:21 and 1 Corinthians 15:20-28: 

1)  After the destruction by fire of this earth at the end of age 4, all human beings of all ages who are not reigning with Jesus on earth or in the heavens will be resurrected to appear before Him at what the book of Revelation calls the  Great White Throne.

2) At that resurrection, all their good and bad works, beliefs and motives will be individually reviewed and judged by Jesus. They will for the first time realize that the blood of Jesus has atoned for their sin.  The overwhelming evidence from the miracle of their resurrection and their following righteous judgment will convince all of them that God loves them in spite of their sin, and Jesus is the Lord who saved them. They will all, individually, just like you and me, realize that God is worthy to love and worship, and each will voluntarily bend their knees to Jesus and confess that He is Lord.

3)  It will take a long time for each of them to be judged by Jesus.  How long this age will last is not stated, but with billions of people envolved, it will most likely take a long time.  

4)  God will create a new heaven and earth for them to live on while the individual judgment takes place. Jesus and Israel will reign over them during this time.  Jesus has prepared a city called New Jerusalem for Israel to live in during this time.

5)  This city is huge, 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide, and 1500 miles high.  It has streets of gold.  The people waiting to be judged will be divided up into nations and will live outside of the city on the new earth.  I beautiful river will flow out of the city to them which will water them.  Along its banks will grow the tree of life which will bear 12 different fruits, one for each month of the year.  And the leaves will be eaten to heal them of any diseases they might get. They will prosper under the leadership of the Jews.

4) After each one is individually judged, they will die the second death because flesh and blood cannot inherit the everlasting kingdom of God.  After all have been judged and die again, God will raise them all from that death to be added to the body of Christ.  

5) When this age comes to a close all creation will have been reconciled to God and become immortal spiritual beings.  Evil will be abolished and good will have triumphed over evil. 

6) Jesus will then turn the reconciled creation back to God, their plan for the ages successfully completed.  All will have joyfully and voluntarily subjected themselves to our gracious, loving and merciful Father God.

7)  All human beings will then be like Jesus - the image of God - and God will be "ALL in ALL". 

After the Five Ages - 1 Corinthians 2:9; 15:28.

Scripture says little about what happens in the time before or beyond these five ages, just that "eye hath not seen, neither has ear heard, neither has it entered the heart of man what God has planned for those that love him". 

ALL will love Him when His plan is complete.  I am sure nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Well, grandchildren, that is a summary of what I have learned from the Bible.

The Salvation of Unbelievers

“...for this we are toiling and being reproached, that we rely on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, and especially of believers. This things be charging and teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:10-11 CLNT)

I am unaware of any institutional Christian church group that is "teaching" what the above verse clearly says -  that GOD is the "Savior of all mankind". But it is clear that "all mankind" have been "ransomed" by Christ Jesus.

"For there is one God, and one mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all." (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

The Bible addresses two types of people in various eras. Those who BELIEVE God, and those who do not - the UNBELIEVERS.  Believers come to a knowledge of their salvation in this age. Unbelievers will come to that knowledge at the close of the ages. Below is a summary of what the bible teaches with regard to the Salvation of All.

BELIEVERS become aware of their salvation in this Age: The Bible tells of two groups of Believers in this age with separate destinies in the following ages.  One group of believers are those among the nation of Israel, and the other is believers among the Gentile nations. 

Those who hear the good news and believe it in this life do so by the Grace of God through faith. Faith is the channel by which one becomes aware of their salvation.

1. Those who Believe in this Age were chosen to do so in Christ before the foundation of the world.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace." (Ephesians 1:3-6)

2. God gifts to them faith to believe. That "faith" is an “approach present” or gift from God.

“For in grace, through faith, are you saved—and this is not out of you, it is God's approach present (gift), not of works, lest anyone should be boasting…" (Ephesians 2:8-9 CLNT)

3. God places them among the body of believers when they hear and believe what God says. No joining anything, they are "placed" there by God. They are also referred to as the "ecclesia" (Church).

"Yet now God placed the members, each one of them, in the body according as He wills....this secret is great: yet I am saying this as to Christ and as to the ecclesia..." (1 Corinthians 12:18; Ephesians 5:32 CLNT)

4. Believers are to tell the world about their ransom and salvation and explain that it is all a result of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

"Christ also, for our sakes, once died concerning sins, the just for the sake of the unjust, that He may be leading us to God; being put to death, indeed, in flesh, yet vivified in spirit...God was in Christ conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them and placing in us the word of conciliation." (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19 CLNT)

UNBELIEVERS become aware of their salvation in the ages to come: 

They will become aware of their salvation through judgment after their resurrection. But after suitable judgment, they will be become believers. This judgement is the channel by which the UNBELIEVERS in this Age are made aware of their Savior. Consider the following:

1. All unbelievers will be resurrected from the dead and appear before Jesus at the great white throne. They are the subjects of the most astounding miracle ever done. Billions of dead people, all unbelievers, raised to life.

2. The old heaven and earth have fled away so there is nowhere to hide and nothing to distract them.

3. They are in the presence of Christ Jesus in all his glory, sitting upon that great white throne.

4. All their secrets are revealed and they must give account for all their works. They have no excuses, all their works are revealed as either good or bad.

"And I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it, from Whose face earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne." (Revelation 22:11-12)

5. And then, in my opinion, they will hear Jesus say to God - “Father forgive them - my blood has atoned for their sin.

6. And in time, they will all bow before him, confessing with their mouth “Jesus Christ is Lord”. 

"Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 CLNT)

Of course I have left out a lot of details that I will address another time.  But I hope you see what I have seen in the Scripture.  Works of righteousness will not remove the believer's sin.  Faith will not remove the believer’s sin. And the evidence at the great white throne judgment will not remove the unbeliever’s sin. Neither do confession, repentance and asking God for forgiveness. That removal of sin was done wholly and solely through the "blood" of Christ shed on the cross to become the "Savior of the world".

“And we have gazed upon Him, and are testifying that the Father has dispatched His Son, the Savior of the world...In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.” (1 John 4:14; Ephesians 1:7)

 

Denied But Not Damned

"...whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)

What is denied is REIGNING with Christ in the ages to come.

"If we endure, we will also REIGN with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us." (2 Timothy 2:12).

When we are told we are to REIGN with Christ, who are we reigning over if Satan, the fallen angels, and all unbelievers are in hell?

None of God's created beings will be damned forever in the mythological underworld of hell. But they will be reigned over and righteously chastened until all bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord - to the glory of God. 

"As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God...at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11)

And when God's plan for the ages is complete God be "All in all". 

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive...For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet...that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:20-29).

There has always been a remnant of people who believe God. These all endure to the end of life or the return of Jesus with peace and hope in their heart.  All of them will be raised to REIGN with Christ Jesus over all creation, in perfect righteousness, in the ages to come. Some will reign over this earth and the New Earth.  Some will reign among the heavens.  Their reign will cease only when all creation has been reconciled to God and He is All in all.

Have A Little Faith!

“Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them.” (Leviticus 18:5)

This pretty well sums up God's first covenant with Israel. It depended on their faithfulness to obey the law. That did not work out very well for Israel. But God knew it wouldn’t and so through Jesus their Messiah, God replaced the old promises with better ones.

"He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6)

This new covenant depends solely on the faithfulness of Jesus their Messiah. It will be firmly established by the "God of all Grace" in a future age. After Israel suffers for awhile in this age, they will be perfected in the next!

“Behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD, I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know the LORD, for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the LORD, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”  (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

That will happen for them in the next age, but for now, Israel must suffer for rejecting their Messiah...

"...after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you...” (1 Peter 5:10)

What does the "Law" of that covenant with Israel have to do with us, the Gentile body of Christ (the "uncircumcision")? 

"...the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:24-25

We learn that no one is saved by the works of the "Law", so we have "faith" in the power of "the blood of Christ" and the "God of all grace".

 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast...remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” ...were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Galatians 3:24-25; Ephesians 2:8, 11-13)

So, have a little faith!

There Are Two Gospels

Paul writes…

"…I have been entrusted with the evangel (gospel) of the Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision (for He Who operates in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me also for the nations.)" (Galatians 2:7-8 CLNT)

There are two gospels (good news messages).  Both centered in Jesus but not the same. One gospel “for the circumcision” and the other gospel “for the uncircumcision”.

Gospel Number One:  The term "Circumcision" of course refers to Israel, God's chosen people, and the Circumcision Gospel was "entrusted" to the Apostle Peter.  It tells them what Israel must do to participate in the earthly Kingdom promised to them. Following is a summary of that good news message:

1. They were instructed to repent, be baptized, obey the law of Moses and have faith that Jesus is the Messiah.  While Jesus was on earth He preached this gospel message to Israel only.  After His resurrection and ascension Peter and his companions preached this to Israel and Gentile proselytes during the period of the book of Acts.

"Thenceforth begins Jesus to be heralding and saying, "Repent! for near is the kingdom of the heavens!" ... "Now Peter is averring to them, Repent and be baptized each of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the pardon of your sins, and you shall be obtaining the gratuity of the holy spirit." (Matthew 4:17 CLNT; Acts 2:38 CLNT)

2. The destiny of ISRAEL, who are the "Circumcision", is to become a "royal priesthood" on the earth and will be "reigning" with Jesus during the two ages following this present age in which we live.

"Ye you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a procured people"..."The Lord God shall be illuminating them. And they shall be reigning for the eons of the eons." (1 Peter 2:9 CLNT; Revelation 22:5 CLNT)

3. Under the "gospel of the circumcision" faith alone, without works, is dead. A member of the circumcision assembly had to be in the direct lineage of Jacob, or be a Gentile who had become a proselyte to the Jewish faith.  They must make a choice to follow Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and do the works of the law in order to "confirm" that "calling and choice".

”…faith, if it should not have works: it is dead by itself"..."Wherefore, rather, brethren, endeavor through ideal acts to confirm your calling and choice; for, doing these things you should under no circumstances be tripping at any time. For thus will be richly supplied to you the entrance into the eonian Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (James 2:17 CLNT; 2 Peter 2:10-11 CLNT)

4. The Circumcision followers of Jesus were commissioned to make disciples of Jesus the Messiah among all nations, and teach them to observe the law.

"Going then, disciple all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you." (Mathew 28:19-20 CLNT)

5.  At the close of the Acts period, only a few in Israel had become believers in the Messiah Jesus.  Most Jews have became callous to the "gospel of the circumcision" and the promise of the Kingdom which remains to this day.  There is still a "remnant" of "circumcision" believers today and are generally referred to as Messianic Jews.

"I am saying, then, Does not God thrust away His people? May it not be coming to that!...in the current era also, there has come to be a remnant according to the choice of grace" ..."callousness, in part, on Israel has come, until the complement of the nations may be entering. And thus all Israel shall be saved." (Romans 11:1-5;11:25 CLNT)

6.  Jesus will return to set up the Millennial Kingdom of Israel on this earth, but the exact time is not revealed.

"Lord, art Thou at this time restoring the Kingdom to Israel? Yet He said to them, Not yours is it to know times or eras which the Father placed in His own jurisdiction...Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." (Acts 1:6-7, 11 CLNT)

7.  The details of the "gospel of the circumcision" and its related "Kingdom" is found in the Old Testament books  of the Bible beginning with Genesis 12:1 and includes all of the remaining Old Testament books and the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, James, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st, 2nd and 3rd John, Jude and Revelation. The other New Testament books are written to those "of the UNcircumcision", primarily Gentiles.

Gospel Number Two:  The term "Uncircumcision" of course refers to everyone except the nation of Israel - "Gentiles". The Gospel of the Uncircumcision was "entrusted" to the Apostle Paul:

1. This good news tells everyone that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, that he was entombed, that he was raised from the dead.  As a result, God is at peace with mankind, not counting people's sins against them. This gospel ("evangel") was entrusted to Paul to preach to the Gentiles. 

"Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been roused the third day...God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing in us the word of the conciliation." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4;2 Corinthians 5:19 CLNT)

2. Those who believe this gospel message do so only because they were chosen by God.  He "chooses" them before the ages began and they are "placed" in the "body" of Christ as "He wills". They do not join a church, they ARE the church.

"...He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world"..."for we are members of His body"..."God placed the members, each one of them, in the body according as He wills." (Ephesians 1:4; 5:30 CLNT; 1 Corinthians 12:18 CLNT) 

3. This "gospel of the uncircuscision" was a "secret" until revealed to the Apostle Paul. Part of the "secret" is that through the "Lord Jesus" God intends to reconcile "all" to Himself through the "blood of His cross".  Mankind will eventually be saved by their resurrection because they are justified in Christ Jesus, and glorified with immortality - not for good works they do - but because of the unmerited love, mercy and "grace of God" . Therefore it is also called the Gospel of Grace.

"I should be perfecting my career and the dispensation which I got from the Lord Jesus, to certify the evangel of the grace of God....through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens...the secret which has been concealed from the eons and from the generations, yet now was made manifest to His saints...For the saving grace of God made its advent to all humanity." (Colossians 1:20,26 CLNT; Titus 2:11)

4. People do not become part of the "body of Christ" by repentance, personal choice, or by doing the works of the law. We are "placed" there by God "because of Hi great love".  The "faith" that allows us to believe it is a gift from God.

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love...vivifies us together in Christ (in grace you are saved)...in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this not out of you; it is God's approach present (gift), not of works..." (Ephesians 2:4-9 CLNT)

5.  Our destiny is to be the manifestation of this "grace" to all mankind during this age, and "among the celestials" (created beings in heaven) during the two ages following this present age.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world...in love designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved…suffer evil with the evangel (gospel of the uncircumcision) in accord with the power of God, Who saves us and calls us with a holy calling, NOT in accord with our acts, but in accord with His own purpose and the grace which is GIVEN to us in Christ Jesus BEFORE times eonian…” (Ephesians 1:3-6 CLNT; 2 Timothy 1:8-9 CLNT)

6.  If you are in the Body of Christ you know - because you believe.  And when the final member is placed in the body of Christ, those "dead in Christ" will rise, and we who are alive "shall at the same time be snatched away to meet the Lord in the air". Our destiny is "among the celestials" (in the heavens} for the two ages following this present age.

"For the Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command...and the dead in Christ shall be rising first, thereupon we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 CLNT)

7.  The details of this gospel of grace "for the uncircumcision" is found ONLY in the New Testament letters written by the Apostle Paul. They are as follows:  

Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

Post Script:  After the body of Christ has left this earth and gone into the heavens, the gospel of the circumcision and its Kingdom message will again be the message to the world during a time of great tribulation which will end with the return of Jesus to the earth to rule and reign on earth through the resurrected Jewish saints. 

"And heralded shall be this evangel of the kingdom in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the consummation shall be arriving... then shall be great affliction, such as has not occurred from the beginning of the world till now"... "I perceived heaven open, and lo! a white horse. And He Who is sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness is He judging and battling...And on His cloak and on His thigh He has a name written: "King of kings and Lord of lords...Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection! Over these the second death has no jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years." (Matthew 24:14, 21 CLNT; Revelation 19:11,16; 20:6 CLNT)

Unfortunately, the institutional Christian churches have mixed these two gospels to such an extent over the past 2000 years that their message has become "no gospel at all".  And many of the resulting doctrines of Christianity are "myths".  

"I am marveling that thus, swiftly, you are transferred from that which calls you in the grace of Christ, to a different evangel, which is not another...Oh foolish Galatians!. Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was graphically crucified?  This only I want to learn from you:  Did you get the spirit by works of the law or by the hearing of faith?"  (Galatians 3:1-2 CLNT)

Our Destination Is Worth The Journey

"For we are aware that the entire creation is groaning and travailing together until now. Yet not only so, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the spirit, we ourselves also, are groaning in ourselves, awaiting the sonship, the deliverance of our body." (Romans 8:22-23 CLNT)

"It is better to travel well than to arrive." - Buddha

Such is the opinion of false religion and its leaders who set their minds on this life because they fear or are ignorant of the next. The Buddha has millions of followers who he has taught to focus on the journey rather than the destination. Quite frankly, Christianity is not much different. It focuses most of its attention on the journey because they fear the destination.

But that is the religion of men. The truth of the God is not focused on our failures and suffering along the way, but the "glory" of our destination...

"For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us. For the premonition of the creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God. For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation that the creation itself, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-21 CLNT)

Glory Is Our Destiny!

"...the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord...if, then, you were roused together with Christ, be seeking that which is above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Be disposed to that which is above, not to that on the earth, for you died, and your life is hid together with Christ in God. Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you also shall be manifested together with Him in glory." (Romans 6:23;Colossians 3:1-4 CLNT).

The result of sin is death in this eon, but the "gracious gift of God is life eonian" in the next, where we will “be manifested with Him in glory.”

"Glory" is our final destiny.

Paul speaks of this Glory often in his letters...

"...we have the access also, by faith, into this grace in which we stand, and we may be glorying in expectation of the glory of God." (Romans 5:2 CLNT).

“Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory.” (I Corinthians 15:42-43 CLNT).

"Therefore I am enduring all because of those who are chosen, that they also may be happening upon the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with glory eonian." (II Timothy 2:10 CLNT).

"For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us.” (Romans 8:18 CLNT).

"For the momentary lightness of our affliction is producing for us a transcendently transcendent eonian burden of glory.” (II Corinthians 4:17 CLNT).

“...that He should also be making known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He makes ready before for glory." (Romans 9:23 CLNT).

“...but we are speaking God's wisdom in a secret, wisdom which has been concealed, which God designates before -- before the eons, for our glory." (I Corinthians 2:7 CLNT).

“...for you to perceive what is the expectation of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of the enjoyment of His allotment among the saints.” (Ephesians 1:18 CLNT).

“…to whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory.” (Colossians 1:27 CLNT).

“...into which He also calls us through our evangel, for the procuring of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Thessalonians 2:142 CLNT)

“…be walking worthily of God, Who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:14 CLNT).

Glory is our destiny!

Don't Be Afraid Of The Light

"Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil…God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (John 3:19; 1John 1:5)

The famous philosopher Plato once said...

 “The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” 

Those who do not believe that God is the Savior of ALL are simply afraid of the "light" and need to get to know him a little better.

"I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12)

When Phil Spector was part of the 50’s band "The Teddy Bears" he wrote a song that went to #1 in 1958. It was inspired by his father but when I hear it I think of the God and Father of mankind - the title of the song was…

"To know him is to love him" 

"No longer will each man teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sins no more...there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." (Jeremiah 31:34; 1 John 4:18 )

Resurrection - Then What?

What happens after Jesus returns and raises me from the dead?

"...forasmuch as He assigns a day in which He is about to be judging the inhabited earth in righteousness by the Man Whom He specifies, tendering faith to all, raising Him from among the dead...in the day when God will be judging the hidden things of humanity, according to my evangel, through Jesus Christ...for all of us must be manifested in front of the dais of Christ, that each should be requited for that which he puts into practice through the body, whether good or bad." (Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16; 2 Corinthians 5:10)

Then what?

"...each one's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire. And the fire, it will be testing each one's work -- what kind it is. If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

Note the judging is for handing out rewards, not punishment. OK, so how should I live now knowing this?

"...I am entreating you, then, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit with the tie of peace...be ambitious to be quiet, and to be engaged in your own affairs, and to be working with your hands, according as we charge you, that you may be walking respectably toward those outside and you may have need of nothing." (Ephesians 4:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Perfection Is Coming!

Jesus, the Son of God is the perfect MAN and has demonstrated for all to see what mankind can and will become when they have been born of the Spirt into the resurrected immortal life…

“So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 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…The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust…Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven...this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality...Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:38-54)

But until our resurrection…

"Now we see a reflection in a mirror; then we will see face-to-face. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known..." (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Salvation - Plans A and B

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…male and female create he them…. then to Adam He said, because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat from it; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life, both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 1-3:19)

Sin brings death - so is there any plan to remedy this situation?

Yes:  Salvation  - Plans A and B

SALVATION - PLAN A: 

 “…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven…Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."(Matthew 5:43-45)

I cannot think of even one Christian who loves his enemies, blesses those who cuss them, does good to those who hate them and is perfect - can you?

So why did God tell Adam, Eve, Israel and all other folks to do the above, knowing they hadn’t, wouldn’t, and couldn’t?

To point us to Plan B.

SALVATION OF ALL - PLAN B: 

  “…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…he was buried…he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” - “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 6:23)

I tell people in this blog about Plan B. It can be summarized like this.

GOD LOVES SINNERS

GOD SENT JESUS TO SAVE SINNERS

HE SUCCEEDED

SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT TO ALL

BELIEVING THIS PLEASES GOD

BELIEVING THIS GIVES SINNERS JOY AND PEACE 

JESUS IS COMING FOR US ALL

“He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming swiftly. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be WITH ALL. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20-21)

Nothing Can Separate Us

Before you read this you should take a few minutes and read all the books of the Old Testament...OK now read all of the books New Testament...Now that you’re done - Just kidding! – but when I read them I found out that...

1. There is only One God.

OT: “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One...” (Deuteronomy 6:4)

NT: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man...the man Christ Jesus...” (1 Timothy 2:5)

2. God owns everything and everyone and it is His WILL to save everyone.

OT: “The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1) 


NT: ”He made known to us the mystery of His will....who works all things after the counsel of His will...who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" (Ephesians 1:7-11; 1 Timothy 2:4)

3. Only God possesses immortality, everyone else dies.

OT: “...for dust you are and to dust you will return...the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” (Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:7)

NT: “...the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality...” (1 Timothy 6:15)

4. All will be saved from death and reconciled to God.

OT: “I will cleanse you from all your filthiness...I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you...you will be my people, and I will be your God...I will save you...” (Ezekiel 36:25-39)

NT: “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins...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.” (1 Corinthians 15:22; Colossians 1:13-20)

And so I am in agreement with Paul when he says…

“...I am convinced that neither death, nor life...nor things to come...nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord...God is love…love keeps no record of wrongs…” (Romans 8:38-39; 1 John 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13)

Nothing can separate people from God.

How To Become Rich

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)

True riches are not the result of what we do for ourselves, but are the result of what Christ Jesus has graciously done for us. The word "grace" is the Greek word "charis" which means a gift producing joy. Jesus has done something for mankind that will bring us all joy...eventually. 

"For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime.  Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5)

God was in Christ reconciling sinful people to Himself...

"Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given...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." (2 Corinthians 5)

Believing this brings great joy and peace. The following is often sung during the Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus, but it was not written about his birth, but about his glorious return...

Joy to the world
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart
Prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing!

The final words of Jesus recorded in the Bible are...

"Yes I am coming swiftly..." (Revelation 22:20)

And the final words of the Bible is from John in response...

"Amen, come Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints! Amen!" (Revelation 22:21)

One morning when my oldest grandson was 10 he came running into our den, jumped in my lap, hugged me and said. "I can't wait to get to heaven and see God" and then off he went. 

Pure JOY "comes with the morning" - we will then be rich indeed!

People No Longer Need A Savior

A well-meaning Christian said - “Man is still in desperate need of a Savior.” I know he meant well and it may sound right, but think about that statement. It denies that Jesus was and still is the Savior. We do not NEED a Savior, we have one!

Jesus came “...to seek and to save those which are lost” and told people that “if I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me”.  After being lifted up on the cross Jesus said “Father forgive them...it is finished” (Luke 19:10; John 12:32; Luke 23:34; John 19:30)

Christianity is “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” claiming salvation for themselves (which is true), but denying it to everyone else....making it simply an offer from God which must be received and accepted.  In reality the salvation of "all people" was "finished" at the cross of Jesus and proved by his resurrection.  The salvation of "ALL" people is the truth that needs to be believed and shared by the church. It is the message Jesus gave to Paul...

“...the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people....As in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive...” (Titus 2:11;1 Corinthians 15:22)

"ALL" will become aware of their Salvation when they are "made alive".  There is an order to this knowledge...

“...each in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, then those who are alive at his coming, then comes the end...” (1 Corinthians 15:23-24) 

The ORDER is as follows: 1) Christ is the first to be resurrected to immortality, then 2) those of us who have believed in this age when Jesus returns, then 3) all others at the end of the ages. At that time (probably thousands of years from now) the Bible says...

“...then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be ALL IN ALLl.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

People no longer need a Savior. The Savior came and finished the job more than 2,000 years ago - his name is Jesus!

Is God A Liar And Jesus A Failure?

“Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:14)

If the Lamb of God has not taken away the sin of the world, and if God's Son has not saved the world, then God is a liar and Jesus is a failure. Faith that matters is faith in what God says. God says He sent His Son to save it, but many Christians think he was sent merely to try to save it.

“When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

Not much. However, to the few who actually have faith in the Word of God the lyrics of Baylus Benjamin McKinney ring true..."He cannot fail, He must prevail".

Have faith in God

He's on His thrown

Have faith in God

He watches o'er His own

He cannot fail, He must prevail

Have faith in God, have faith in God

"For we also were once foolish, stubborn, deceived, slaves of various desires and gratifications, leading a life in malice and envy, detestible, hating one another, yet when the kindness and fondness for humanity of our Savior God made its advent, not for works which are wrought in righteousness which we do, but according to His mercy, He saves us, through the bath of renascence and renewal of holy spirit, which He pours out on us richly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that being justified in that one's grace, we may be becoming enjoyers, in expectation, of the allotment of life eonian." (Titus 3:3-7 CLNT)