Father Of Us All

“We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God”. (2 Corinthians 4:2)

Have you ever heard someone complain that “the preacher is just preaching what people want to hear”?

Generally it is when the preacher is focusing too much on the love and grace of God and not enough on “hell fire and brimstone”. 

Really? Now exactly how can someone overemphasize the love and grace of an omnipotent God who is characterized over and over as a FATHER - full of love, grace and mercy?

“The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning…Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever...I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Lamentations 3:22-23; Psalm 136; Romans 8:38-39)

What those folks are really saying is “the preacher is not preaching what I WANT to hear”. And usually it is someone who is a die in the wool denominational devotee who thinks everyone but their group is going to be eternally damned and should be told they need to "turn or burn".

Paul would have “renounced” such as “the hidden things of shame” used by those “handling the word of God deceitfully” trying to scare people into their churches.

People want to hear the good news because it is GOOD NEWS - not whatever you call the other stuff.

"God is love...There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (1 John 4:8; Ephesians 4:4-6)

Deceitful Workers

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…" (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

I recently read a quote from one of those “workers”, a Jewish Christian evangelist from down under (appropriate). It went in part like this….

“It deeply concerns me when I hear a professing Christian telling an unbeliever that he is a good person…Anyone who says that human beings are good are calling Jesus a liar…it makes me doubt the genuine nature of the Christian’s salvation…to fail to warn sinners of the terrible consequences of sin (damnation in hell) is the ultimate betrayal of Jesus…”

Don't get me wrong I could care less about what this guy is deeply concerned with, and because I am personally familiar with what the Bible actually says by reading and studying it for myself, he cannot deceive or offend me. I am posting this to my blog because I love my family and friends and want to warn them about believing what men like him have written down through the years.

This particular person has debated atheists, written over 70 books and authored countless evangelical tracks over the years. He has even written a commentary of sorts on the Bible - apparently the Bible is not clear enough for regular folks so it was necessary for this "worker" to clear it up.

Jesus had this to say about those like him 2000 years ago...

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

According to this guy anyone who says his Mom, Dad, Children or anyone else is a good person is calling Jesus a liar. Really, I don't think so.  There is liar in this scenario, but it is certainly not those who know some really good people and tell them so.

I really hope this guy isn't intentionally leading people astray. Satan is so good at deception and is such a good recruiter that his “deceitful workers” are mostly ignorant of their role and probably believe what they are saying. They work for or are the leaders of religious organizations, including Christianity. They usually promote obedience to the Law of Moses or Sharia Law or some other religious Law, and teach that obedience to that Law is the method for getting and staying saved, getting eternal bliss, and avoiding eternal conscious torment from the god they are promoting (sometimes even mixing in the word grace). And they all refer to those who don't join their group and tow the line as unbelievers or infidels.

And these “deceitful workers” of the Christian persuasion profess concern for the salvation of those who disagree with them (Islam not so much). Their methods are subtle, as Satan is subtle, but you can easily tell when they are of Satan. How you may ask?

They will base their argument on a lie, claiming or inferring that the lie is truth from their religious book. It is “no wonder” because Satan is the “father of lies”. It worked in the garden of Eden on Adam and Eve and it has been working ever since among mankind.

Now for the particular lie of the above “worker”. The lie is obvious to anyone who has read and studied the Scripture (so Muslims get a pass here). The lie is his statement that “the consequence of sin is damnation in hell”. Of course he does not give chapter and verse - there is none. It is interesting that both Christianity and Islam agree on this lie, they just disagree on what the sin that sends one there is.

These men will never quote in context the relevant Scripture which does tell mankind what is the consequence for sin - SOOOO I will do so and I will also quote what God says He has done about sin and for sinners, even for deceived "workers"…

“The wages of sin is DEATH…But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…the last enemy that will be abolished is death...that God may be All in all...death is swallowed up in Victory." (Romans 6:23; 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:22,26,28, 54)

The deceived "workers" will suffer the consequences of sin like everyone else and they will die - but Jesus will return and resurrect them and everyone else. Even these “deceitful workers” will reap the love of God and His free gift to sinners.  His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ransomed them, and has reconciled them to God. And He will freely give them eternal life...

“The wages of sin is DEATH but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...who gave himself a ransom for all...for it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 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. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach...it is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. PRESCRIBE AND TEACH THESE THINGS..." (Romans 6:23; Colossians 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:15-2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10-11; Colossians 1:20 )

Teach These Things

While teaching in Ephesus Paul said this about his ministry to Asia…

“…all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10)

But years later, at the end of his life, he wrote his final letter to Timothy concerning the condition of those who had heard in Asia…

“This thou know, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me” (II Timothy 1:15).

What had they turned away from, and to what? Paul tells those in Galatia plainly…

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7)

The message being DISTORTED was the good news of the free gift of salvation to ALL MANKIND by the GRACE of God, without the need for any works of the Law whatsoever. And in his final letter to Timothy Paul warned of his fear for the future condition of the church…

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:13).

Here is a summary of what Paul was teaching….

“For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord…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….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.” (Romans 6:2; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 4:9-11)

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds" (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

OK, I am mad now so I better hurry up and write this post because my mad only lasts about 20 minutes. I really try to hold back my anger....but when I read one of these "angels of light" lecture on how God must eternally torment people in hell because God is "absolute moral perfection"... well my blood boils because I know they are deceiving people I love and care about. 

Joe Blow from down under is one of those (name changed so not to offend some friends). He says that Hell is the just result of God's "absolute moral perfection"... REALLY? To be "Just" and absolutely “morally perfect" is to torture your enemies forever with unquenchable fire. Something far worse than Hitler ever did, and he was one of the worst mass murderer of all time. 

Sending anyone to such a place would be the equivalent of "absolute moral evil". Joe Blow, or Satan, whatever your name is, God "loves His enemies"... you included...and everyone else in the world...because God IS love.

These folks claim to be "called" to ministry and are assumed to be the messengers of God when they actually work for Satan posing themselves as messengers of God. They demand the keeping of the 10 Commandments while themselves violating the first 2 commandments by creating a god of their own making.

Think people....Joe Blow's "absolutely moral god" would eternally separate from himself a 12 year old who died in a car wreck before "being saved" if he had reached the unbiblical so called "age of accountability". And then this god would supernaturally keep that 12 year old kid alive to torture him or her for all eternity, just as they say he will do to Hitler. 

Come on man...that is sick! And few seem to call them out on it and expose them as Satan's "angels of light".

The true God, as revealed in the bible, says clearly what happens to sinners - we die.  You, me, the 12 year old, Hitler, and those messengers of Satan all will DIE as the result of sin. And God tells us what happens next..."the free gift of eternal life".

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

NO, NO, NO they say, "that makes salvation cheap". Excuse me, did you think I said "cheap"? NO, NO, NO, it is FREE!

That is MERCY....that is GRACE...that is LOVE...that is the Devine character of the one and only true GOD of the Bible!

God loves the world...and He does graciously chastens and eventually puts sinners to death for their sin...but He also sent Jesus to die for sinners, even those who teach the perverted doctrinal sin of Hell - which proves He loves even self-righteous Pharisees.

Jesus, "who knew no sin became sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." ..."and Jesus prayed "Father forgive them"...which He has!

Millions are led away from the very God they gather to profess and worship by those who run the churches, synagogues and mosques of the world, many of whom are Satan's "angels of light".  All of those places of worship have those who teach the eternal conscious torment for infidels/unbelievers. They are ALL "deceitful workers".

It is truly AMAZING GRACE for God to love them anyway..and He wants me to love them too. 

I really try because Jesus loves them and died for them but it is difficult. It is not hard, however, for me to love the people who go to church, synagogue or mosque for worship and are the ones deceived. They need truth and deliverance which the Bible has provided for me....so I keep posting my random thoughts.