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)

Jesus Is Not a Substitute

"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.” (Romans 3:23) 

Almost all Christian theologians teach that when Jesus died on the cross it was as our "substitute" to "pay" for our sin. No, he "bore" the sin of Adam and everyone else, and died "for" Adam's sin and everyone else's, because he had no sin of his own to die for. We will all "die" like Jesus, and be "made alive" like Jesus.

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be ALL in ALL....death has been swallowed up in Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:22-29,53)

What is the Truth?

“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….” (Matthew 120-21; Luke 2:10-11)

The truth is that Jesus came into the world to save sinners, all of them, including Pilot.

"Trustworthy is the saying and worthy of all welcome, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)

He will either do so, or that saying is not trustworthy.  In my life I have encountered two negative responses to this truth.  One comes from those who consider themselves saved by their free will choice of Christ.  Some of these wish it were true but many are indignant that God would save sinners who have not made the same choice and perceived sacrifices for him.  The others are those like Pilate who are indignant that someone would think they needed to be saved at all.

I suppose it remains to be seen whether the Truth that Jesus testified to actually happens. But if all sinners are not saved, his testimony was false.  He has promised to deliver all sinners from death and I trust and find comfort that He can and will do so. Love motivates me to share my faith and my hope in the Truth, in spite of those who ignore or oppose it.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:3)

It's About Jesus Christ's Faith - not yours

"…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, to 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, only the false opinion of religious men. The Scripture says all "sinned" and the same all will be "justified gratuitously in His grace"...as a "gracious gift".

“…for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God.
 Being justified gratuitously in His GRACE, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus…For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 3:23-24; 6:23 CLNT)

His Burden - Our Sin

"... 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 raised from the dead, and is now the "only Sovereign" and immortal "King of kings". We mortals all die and our only hope for immortality is the "free gift of God"...

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord...He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality." (Romans 6:26; 1 Timothy 6:15-16)

Jesus, the Lord, will return to resurrect all humanity from its wages for sin to the free gift of eternal life, and from a corruptible mortality to an imperishable immortality.

"...your dead will live, LORD; their bodies will rise-- let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy-- your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead...in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable." (Isaiah 26:19; 1 Corinthians 15:52)

It was God's plan, even before the creation of the world, to choose all mankind for this great adventure. And since it was His plan, God sees mankind, all of us, as His finished product, holy and blameless.

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight...Now all these things are from God, who...was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them... He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (Ephesians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

We only play the roles that His grand play dictates, and that play has a glorious and happy ending...God All in All. 

"..one God and Father of all and through all and in all. Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be All in all." (Ephesians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 15:26-28)

I Never Knew You

“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 and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection." (Revelation 20:4-5)

When Jesus said "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers" he was referring to the Jewish religious leaders who had rejected him as their Messiah and the Savior of the world.  Those unbelievers will not be among the "first resurrection" who reign with him for 1000 years.  

No one gets to heaven by following those who "drive out demons" and "perform many miracles" in the name of the Lord. Nor do we get there by joining a church, being baptized, tithing, praying or dancing in the spirit. We all get saved the same way - by the Love, Grace and Mercy of God!

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Jesus is the "Savior of the World". The outcast Samaritans recognized this and rejoiced. 

"Jesus said to her, You are correct to say that you have no husband. In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband...Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony...when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. And many more believed because of His message. They said to the woman, We now believe not only because of your words; we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man truly is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:25-42)

Outside the Synagogue a promiscuous women met Jesus and introduced her Savior to her friends.  Those inside the Synagogue did not believe Jesus was the  "Savior of the World" and got mad at anyone who said he was. 

Some things never change.

Who Is Jesus?

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 All.

“The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…This man was handed over by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and put to death by nailing him to the cross…God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world…There is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all…He has granted Him the right to pass judgment…God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved... 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… The first man, Adam, became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality…then will come about the saying that is written, DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ…As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…that God may be All in All… It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things!” (Matthew 1:23; John 11:27; Colossians1:15; John 1:29; John 18:18; 1 John 2:2; 1Timothy 2:5-6; John 5:27; John 3:17; Colossians 1:20; 1 Corinthians 15:45-57; 1 Corinthians 15:22-28; 1 Timothy 4:9-11)

So there it is summarized in the Words of God Himself…and He should know!

WE ARE TO TEACH THESE THINGS!

The Second Man

"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 of us….not the religions of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, nor any of the others.  Jesus is the image of God. The rest of us are still of the first man mentioned above, all children of God waiting to be raised by Jesus into a spiritual body at his return. We will not be like God, we will be like Jesus, the image of God.

I did not learn this from attending church and I did not learn it from philosophers who abandon religion in favor of the reason and inspiration of educated men...I learned it from reading the Bible.

"Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule… God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until His task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns…now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is…for God 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. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Genesis 1:26; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 3:2; Colossians 1:13-15)

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 were in it, and death and the graves gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.” (Revelation 20:11-13)

“God highly exalted Him, 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.” (Philippians 2:8-11)

“…that God may be All in All" (1 Corinthians 15:28)

There you have it in a nutshell. God promises to establish justice forever. He appoints His Son Jesus to “get r done”… which gets him killed. God raises him from the dead, Jesus ascends to sit at the right hand of God on high. Jesus returns to earth again to make war on the deceivers and establish righteousness on the earth…which involves putting the antichrist and his religious partner in the lake of fire, and killing all those who were following them. Later he raises all of them and all other dead people and judges them according to what they have done. They all bow and confess Jesus is Lord. They will most likely say something like the Samaritans confessed…

“…we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42)

"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 shown that there is “none righteous” - neither Jew, Gentile, Christian, nor heathen.  Neither Adam, Abraham, Peter, Paul, Billy Graham, nor the Pope. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. They have NO righteousness on their own merit or free will choice.

But because of the faith of Jesus Christ in his Father…the righteousness of God is graciously and freely given "TO ALL" and it is applied “UPON ALL” when they actually have faith in God like Jesus did.

“…being declared righteous FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God did set forth a mercy seat, through the faith in his blood, for the showing forth of His righteousness, because of the passing over of the bygone sins in the forbearance of God -- for the showing forth of His righteousness in the present time, for His being righteous, and declaring him righteous who is of the faith OF Jesus.” (Romans 3:24-26 YLT)

We get faith like Jesus had only when God gives it to us.  A few folks in this life, and ALL in the next. People become AWARE of their salvation and righteousness when God, by His GRACE, gives them the faith to believe. For most, this faith will not occur until after the resurrection.  At that time the righteousness of God will be “upon ALL” because ALL will then believe....and ALL will then be reconciled to God…. and God will be "All in All".

“For by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 YLT)