Grow in Grace

"...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18)

When I look around I do not see many growing toward those with which we disagree - whether in the political or religious arena. And I rarely encounter any growth in the "knowledge" of our Lord.  

When is the last time you learned something new about God's plan and purpose as revealed in the Scripture?

I attended a denominational church for more than 60 years and cannot remember anything new in its teaching during that time - just the same old traditions passed down in its statement of faith. Much of which I consider to be what Jesus said about traditions of men...

“You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition...you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.” Mark 7:9-13)

At the end of each year I ask myself whether I have grown in grace and in knowledge of our Lord.  Those areas in which I have grown always show God to be more loving, merciful and gracious than I originally thought and I try not to forget that...

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:1-6)

My New Year's resolution is to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, and not forget what I learn.

The Final Solutions

"And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables.” (II Timothy 4:4)

The Final Solutions of Sinful Humanity:

One: Hitler’s final solution was to eliminate the Jewish people who he believed were corrupting the world. 

Two: The final solution of institutional Christianity and Islam is to offer salvation from hell for sinners if they repent of their sin and join their religion. If anyone refuses they will die, and then be tortured in a lake of fire they call hell - forever in the Christian religion and until their sins are paid for in the religion of Islam.

The Final Solution of the God of the Bible:

God’s final solution is to ransom, save, redeem, and reconcile all sinners to Himself through the incarnation, death, entombment, and resurrection of His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ.

My anger towards institutional religion's final solution seems well founded to me. HOWEVER, I think that most members of those religions who are involved in spreading the final solution of of hell for unrepentant sinners are just doing what they have been taught by those they consider “wise men”. 

Therefore, I do not blame them although the Bible teaches they will be ashamed at the the Great White Throne when they learn they were deceived. 

"They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye [are] our gods." (Isaiah 42:17) 

"For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil." (Ecclesiastes:12:14)

"Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy  2:1)

Each human who has ever lived will stand on the Dias before the Great White Throne of God to give account for the things done in our mortal bodies. During the account all humans will rejoice when mistaken beliefs are burnt up as wood, hay and straw. 

At the conclusion of the accounting, all humanity will joyfully bow and acclaim that Christ Jesus is LORD (Yahweh), which will give glory to God the Father. 

Those who were not part of the “former resurrection” will die the second death in the lake of fire which will be an instantaneous, painless second death. They will die having faith, as I do now, that they will be made alive and transformed into a spiritual body that is immortal and capable of entering and seeing the Kingdom of God (The New Heaven and New Earth). That second death will seem to them to occur instantaneously, just as the “former resurrection will seem to those believers  now sleeping in death to have happened instantaneously.

The Bible makes it clear to me that God is in the process of making a new immortal humanity in the image of Christ Jesus. Their eternal citizenship will be in the New Heaven and New Earth, also known as the Kingdom of God.

The Law and the Prophets Ended With John the Baptist

 "Do not for a moment suppose that I have come to abrogate the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abrogate them but to give them their completion.” (Matthew 5:17)

The Old Testament contains the Law and the Prophets. Whatever the Law and the Prophets said was completed when Jesus came to Earth.

“The Law and the Prophets continued until John came; from that time the Good News of the Kingdom of God has been spreading, and all classes have been forcing their way into it.” (Luke 16:16)

John the Baptist was the final Prophet to Israel. The message found in the Law and the Prophets ended with John the Baptist. Jesus presented the good news message of the Kingdom of God – and all humanity started forcing their way into it. By force is meant they were opposed by the Jewish leaders who refused to believe that their God was also the God of all other nations (gentiles). The last Prophet was Paul, who was given the secrets of the Kingdom of God, one of which is that the God of the Jews in also the God of the Gentiles.

“Is God simply the God of the Jews, and not of the Gentiles also? He is certainly the God of the Gentiles also, unless you can deny that it is one and the same God who will pronounce the circumcised to be acquitted on the ground of faith, and the uncircumcised to be acquitted through the same faith. Do we then by means of this faith abolish the Law? No, indeed; we give the Law a firmer footing.” (Romans3:29-31)

Another secret revealed to Paul was that both the Jews and the Gentiles will be acquitted (pardoned), not by obedience to the Law and the Prophets, but based on their “faith” that the requirements of the Law were completed by Christ Jesus, and therefore ALL humanity will bow before Him, and affirm He is Lord, and enter and see the Kingdom of God.

“He stripped Himself of His glory, and took on Himself the nature of a bondservant by becoming a man like other men. And being recognized as truly human, He humbled Himself and even stooped to die; yes, to die on a cross. It is in consequence of this that God has also so highly exalted Him, and has conferred on Him the Name which is supreme above every other,  in order that in the Name of JESUS every knee shall bow, of beings in Heaven, of those on the earth, and of those in the underworld, and that every tongue shall confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:7-11)

If you want to know what God is doing today, better read the Scripture written through the Apostle Paul. The era of the Law and Prophets is completed, and now we need to start focusing on the Kingdom of God. When that good news is presented everyone will force themselves through the doctrines of religious men and into the Kingdom of God.

What are we to Pursue?

 "...pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with all who are calling upon the Lord from a clean heart." (2 Timothy 2:22-23)

Righteousness: Pursue things that are right for yourself and those around you.

Faith: Expect things God has promised to come to pass even if you cannot see how they could happen.

Love: Do for others what they cannot do for themselves, and do it without requiring anything in return.

Peace: Attempt to get along with others, and get away from those you cannot.

There will be Universal Reconciliation

 Jesus had this to say about the predominant views of the influential rabbis….

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:7-9)

And the Apostle Paul had this to say about the teachings of those Rabbis…

“These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility…” (Colossians 2:22)

The truth about the reconciliation of all sinners to God was given the Apostle Paul by Christ Jesus, the Son of God…

“He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence.” (Colossians 1:3-21)

The members of the early churches had an excuse for following the doctrines of men. Few of them, if any, had a complete copy of the Scriptures. Today humanity has no such excuse. The bible clearly teaches that God through Christ Jesus will "RECONCILE TO HIMSELF ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross".

More Tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah

"And those not be receiving you, and refuse to hear your words, come outside of that house or city or town, and shake off the dust from your feet. Truly, I am saying to you, it will be more tolerable for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judging than for the people of that city." (Matthew 10:14-15)

The judgment will not be "tolerable' for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, but it will be "MORE tolerable" than for the people who hear about and reject the good news about Jesus. 

When the grace of God in saving humanity is revealed to unbelievers at the judgment of the Great White Throne, the shame will be greater for those who heard the gospel of Christ Jesus and rejected it than for those who never heard about him. 

YET, all at the Great White Throne will bow and acclaim that Jesus is Lord. Yes, they will have missed out on the thousand year reign; but will have slept through it, unaware it is was going on. Then they will be cast into the second death, to awake to eternal life in the Kingdom of God - to them instantaneous - such is the glory of the grace of God!

"As in Adam all die, thus also, in Christ all shall be made alive...death is abolished...that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:22,27-28)

Loose the Four Messengers - The Bad News

 

“And the sixth messenger trumpets. And I hear one voice out of the horns of the golden altar which is before God…

The One voice is…

…saying to the sixth messenger who has the trumpet, "Loose the four messengers who are bound at the great river Euphrates. "And loosed were the four messengers, made ready for the hour, and day, and month, and year, that they should be killing a third of humanity…

Wow, think about that!

The Current World Population Clock as I write this post today says there are 7.942 billion people in the world. A third of them would be 2.647 billion people.

So, who kills them, and how?

…And the number of the troops of cavalry was two hundred millions-I hear their number. And thus, I perceived the horses in the vision, and those sitting on them, having cuirasses fiery and amethystine and sulphurous; and the heads of the horses are as the heads of lions, and out of their mouths is issuing fire and fumes and sulphur. By these three calamities were killed a third of humanity: by the fire and the fumes and the sulphur which is issuing out of their mouths.”

Again, if the Bible is true, there are four messengers currently bound at the Euphrates River who will lead a cavalry of two hundred million troops in red, blue, and yellow armor riding on horses with the sole purpose of killing a third of humanity by fire, fumes, and sulphur. (Revelation 9:13-18)

If this is not true, then none of the Bible can be trusted! So, look out humanity, here they come - the bad news!

And the good news? Here He comes!

"He Who is testifying these things is saying, 'Yea, I am coming swiftly.'" "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints! Amen! (Revelation 22:20-21)

Spiritual Gifts

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

Are these gifts still active within the Body of Christ today? 

I was raised in a church who taught that only the spiritual gifts of pastor-teachers and evangelists remain today, however I do not think that any of these spiritual "gifts" found in the first century church remain active today in the Body of Christ because we have the COMPLETED word of God in our Bible. We just need to read it or have someone read it to us.

"I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for you, and am filling up in my flesh, in His stead, the deficiencies of the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the church,  of which I became a dispenser, in accord with the administration of God, which is granted to me for you, TO COMPLETE the word of God - the secret which has been concealed from the eons and from the generations, yet now was made manifest to His saints, 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 1:24-27)

The word of God was completed when Christ Jesus finished revealing to Paul the secrets which had been previously "concealed" from humanity. We can read it for ourselves, unlike those of the first century church. So, in my view, the gifts present in the first century church are no longer active. We should share our thoughts about what we find in the Bible with others and compare thoughts without fighting over them. 

Discussing those differences would be good, but that ceased to happen in the institutional church long ago. The pastor, teachers and evangelists of those institutions are now considered the source of truth. 

The last time I voiced my differences within that church my long-time friend and pastor suggested that I start my own church. He told me he would not allow my views to be heard because it was his job as pastor to protect the members from opinions he deemed false. I simply told him there is only one church, and Christ is its head.

"For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body." (Ephesians 5:23)

"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." (Colossians 1:18)

As for the spiritual gift of tongues among those of the charismatic institutional churches, I do not think that gift is active today. I have never spoke in a different language that I had not previously learned so I cannot know what it would be like. Yet I do not personally believe that those who have are using the spiritual gift that Paul was referring to. Not that such speaking in tongues is demonic, just not the "gift" present and needed in the early Church. Just my thoughts, I am not intending to argue about it. 

Although I have never experienced speaking in tongues, I have been so overwhelmed by the knowledge of the truth in reading the Scripture, or simply been so overwhelmed with the presence of God while observing a sunrise or sunset, that I was speechless, and totally humbled before my Creator.

The only gifts of the spirit that are important to mew are "faith, hope and love". 

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing...And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 13)

My thoughts have been confirmed over the years when members of the Church who hold themselves out as evangelists or pastor/teachers disagree on the meaning of Scripture. How am I to know which one has the Spiritual gift of teaching?

“Studying to show myself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

His Mercy is Everlasting

  “To you the command is given, you peoples, nations, and populations of all languages, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe, and all kinds of musical instruments, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be thrown into the middle of a furnace of blazing fire.” (Daniel 3:4-6)

Millions of people across the world get up on Sunday and go worship a god who they believe will everlastingly torture most people in a lake of fire.

And there are a few who stay home worshipping the LORD whose "mercy is everlasting" and whose "faithfulness is to all generations".

"Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with jubilation;

Come before Him with rejoicing.

Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

And His courtyards with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting

And His faithfulness is to all generations." (Psalm 100)