Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

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...

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sin according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3) "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross..." (1 Peter 2:24) The bible does not say sin is a debt that needs to be paid to God, but a result of bad behavior. All die as the result of sin - there are no exceptions, not even Jesus. But Jesus did not die for his own sin, but “for our sins" . He “ bore our sins in his body on the cross".  Jesus IDENTIFIED himself with sinful men to demonstrate God’s love for sinners. "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8). In the resurrection of Jesus God has revealed that the death of a sinner will be "swallowed up in Victory"  when resurrected - a free gift. "The wages of sin is DEATH but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.”  (Rom...

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him." (John 18:37-38) That mankind cannot be trusted to deal with this truth is quite obvious. Pilate found no fault with Jesus but had him crucified anyway.  What truth did Jesus come into the world to testify to? “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins…Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord….” (Ma...

"…a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, FOR all, and ON all who are believing, for there is no distinction...
” (Romans 3:21-22, CLNT) Some versions change "Jesus Christ's faith" to read “through faith in Christ Jesus” thus robbing us of the truth that righteousness, just like eternal life, is freely given sinners by the "GRACE" of God as the result of "JESUS CHRIST'S FAITH" . All will acknowledge Jesus at some point in time, and confess that he is Lord. "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place  and gave him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in  heaven and on earth and under the earth,  and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, t o the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11) For most this comes after they have been resurrected.  Many say it is too late for justification at that time, but there is no Scripture to back that up, onl...

"... the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:5-6) Jesus is the only human who will ever live without sin...but he was tempted. "...for we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need...you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin." (Hebrews 4:15-16; 1 John 3:5) Jesus is the only human who has died, not for his own sin, but for the sins of the whole world. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all...He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (Isaiah 53:6; 1 John2:2) Jesus is the only human who has been ...

“ Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! " (Matthew 7:22-23) Jesus is talking to the Jewish religious leaders who went to Synagogue every Sabbath and revered the Law of Moses. They did not think much of the  "sinners"  who Jesus spent most of his time with. "When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (Matthew 9:11) The Church should be slow to condemn sinners for whom Jesus ate with and died for.  "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:17) The bible speaks of a time in the future where Jesus returns to establish once  again the Kingdom of Israel on this earth to last 1,000 years. "And they came to life ...

FOLLOWING is a brief summary of my thoughts about what the Bible teaches with regard to Jesus and the Scripture to back it up… 1. Who he is : Jesus was the Son of God, the first born of all creation. He is the image of God and God created all things through him. At just the right time God sent his Son to be born of a Jewish virgin and he would live a life without sin. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means God with us… the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world…the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature…” (Matthew 1:23; John 11:27; Colossians 1:15) 2. What he came to do : He would take away the sin of the world; demonstrate the love of God for sinners; become the propitiation for the sin of the whole world; ransom all mankind; judge the world in righteousness, not condemn it; reconcile all creation to God; and abolish death. All done as part of God’s plan to save all mankind and become All in A...

"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.” (1 Corinthians 15:37-49) I love the Bible and what it says seems perfectly rational and reasonable to me. God created mankind and set in motion the plan for mankind to be made into the image of God and have dominion over the Universe. The "first man" was Adam - he failed.  Jesus is the "second man" and succeeded.  He is the prototype, and the Bible reveals to me that all mankind are to be made like Jesus…the "hope of glory" for all mankind… "… Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) Satan would rob mankind of its greatest man...Christ Jesus…by making him God. Or worse…by making man himself God. Mankind is God's work in progress and Christ Jesus has triumphed to reveal God to the rest...

In a nutshell - concerning God and His Son Jesus: "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever." (Isaiah 9:7) “He who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf that in him we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 5:21) "He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:20) “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." (Revelation 9:11) “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who…deceived…these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire and the rest were killed..." (Revelation 19:20-21) “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it…And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne…the sea gave up the dead that we...

"Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age" (Galatians 1:3-4). Pretty simple information. 1. Christ Jesus gave himself for the sins of mankind. How? In the Grace of God Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross for the sins of the world. “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) 2. Christ Jesus will deliver mankind from this present age How? We first must die…then be given eternal life FOR FREE! “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23) And then he will return and resurrect mankind from the dead ”Behold, I tell you a mystery… 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…” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

“And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets, and the righteousness of God is through THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST to all and upon all those believing, -- for there is no difference, for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:21-23 Young's Literal Translation) It is a wonder anyone comes to know the truth with the poor translations of the Bible we have today.  They result in poor teaching.  Above is one of the few correct translations of these verses.  Note the phrase in all caps, and then check out your version.  If it says anything else it is the fabrication of men - not what the oldest Greek manuscripts read. The righteousness of God is freely given “to all” as a result of THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST.  Not OUR faith in Christ Jesus.  Big, BIG difference.  In fact, it is the good news. Paul in the first three chapters of Romans has clearly ...