Shall All Be Made Alive?

"You always resist the Holy Spirit…Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…Do not quench the Spirit." (Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30; and 1 Thessalonians 5:19)

As I have said before, I look at the Holy Spirit as the POWER of God. It is the unseen means by which God’s plan is accomplished. It is like the wind which moves the tree branches but cannot be seen. It is futile to resist this unseen POWER of God. We often resist this unseen POWER which is working out God's plan. We quench the power of God only in the sense that we lose the joy and  peace it can bring when we believe what God will accomplish through this power, the reconciliation and salvation of all at our resurrection.

“As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…death is abolished…that God may be All in All” (1 Corinthians 5:22-28)

One God

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...the spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters....” (Genesis 1:1, 3)

“God is spirit…” (John 4:24)

I think of POWER when I read the word “Spirit” in the Bible. And when I read the words “Holy Spirit” I think of God's omnipotent POWER. Power flows from the generator of that power, it is NOT the generator itself. Think of an electric generator. You turn it on and power flows out of it to provide the energy to turn on the lights.

God is both the generator and the power flowing from it to create all things. In that sense only is the Holy Spirit God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God...the Word became flesh...No one has seen God at any time; the ONLY BEGOTTEN GOD who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him...Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him...” (John 1:1-18; 1 John 4:15)

Jesus is the Word of God, the express image of God, the Son of God...Jesus is the one who explains to us what God is like...in that sense only is Jesus God. And after the resurrection all those who are reconciled, justified, saved and glorified will be GODlike...Jesus prayed for it to be so...

“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:20-26)

The phrase “trinity” is not is the Bible. There is no such message in the Bible about three persons who are at the same time one person (which defies logic). There is only one God out of whom comes all things, beginning with the Son...

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things....there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came...the Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15)

This is not rocket science, just a matter of reading the Bible and believing what it says, and rejecting any teaching from men which contradicts what God says.

Angel of Light...or Not

Satan’s sphere of activities is in the religious sphere, and not the spheres of crime or immorality… We are not to look for Satan’s activities today in the newspaper press, or the police courts; but in the pulpit, and in professors’ chairs. E.W. Bullinger (1837-1913) the Companion Bible, Appendix 19.

“Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

It is from pulpits and seminaries that creeds, statements of faith, and church dogma flows…and that which flows from those places do not always line up with the Word of God. 

We should reject them when they do not.

Priests of God

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication." (Zechariah 12:10)

Spirit is the POWER behind the action. Israel will see the power of GRACE and the power of SUPPLICATION in the future. Of that period of time Zechariah says…

“And I will bring the third part (of Israel) through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:9)

One in three Jews will “call on” Jesus during that period and experience the power and grace of God’s deliverance. They will rule and reign with Christ Jesus for a 1000 years.

“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6)

His Job, Not Mine

“Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, and unto thine own understanding lean not. In all thy ways know thou Him, and He doth make straight thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5 YLT)

God can be trusted regardless of whether we trust Him or not…let that sink in a minute. God WILL make our paths straight.  That is His plan. The only thing we do is TRUST Him or not. This decision will not change the fact that He can be trusted but will give us Peace and Joy and Assurance that He is making mankind into the image of God!

“And God saith, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…I give thanks to my God…having been confident of this very thing, that He who did begin in you a good work, will perform until the day of Jesus Christ” (Genesis 1:26; Philippians 1:3-6)

It is not IF I do something THEN the Lord will make straight my paths.  It will be  finished when  I am resurrected in newness of life.

”So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised 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.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

I am glad it is HIS job, not mine!

Help For Our Weakness

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that it may be with you for the age; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see it or know it, but you know it because it abides with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17)

Jesus asked the Father to give the Holy Spirit to those Jews who believed that Jesus is the Messiah. It would abide in them, and on Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection, the gift of this power came and settled on those early Jewish believers…

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (the power of God) and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)

Those Jews then begin to speak to other Jews who had come from all over the world to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Weeks. By this POWER they spoke in the various languages and told them about Messiah Jesus, his resurrection and ascension, and his promised return. The gift of other "tongues" (languages) was withdrawn when the Jewish Nation once again rejected Jesus at the close of Acts. Paul then went exclusively to the "Gentiles" with the Gospel of Grace, God’s good news of the salvation of all mankind through Christ Jesus…

“After three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews…and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening…and when they did not agree with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one parting word, The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying…YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE …therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles…” (Acts 28:17-28)

Jesus is now interceding on our behalf through the power of God (the Holy Spirit) according to the will of God.

“…the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit…intercedes for the saints according to THE WILL OF GOD….Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? …neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:26-38)

The Church Is Not A Building

“Jesus said to them, who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered; you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said to him…I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:15-18)

Christ is the rock and the church is his body. Hades is where the body and soul dwell when members of the church die (which is the grave). 

The church is not a building to attend or an organization to join. God Himself defined the Church as the “body" of Christ…

“…gave him as head over all things to the church, which is His body...” (Ephesians 1:22-23)

You do not join or go to church. If you are a part of it, it is only because God has placed you into it…

“God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” (1 Corinthians 12:18)

Modern church buildings were built and organized by men, God is not the contractor of such buildings.  

Members of the body of Christ (the church) are present anywhere that there are humans who have faith that 1) Jesus died for their sins, 2) was entombed, and that 3) God raised from the dead. When the New Testament was being written there were some throughout Galatia, some in Jerusalem, some in Ephesus, some in Corinth, some in Thessalonica, some in Colossi, some in Philippi, some in Rome, some at the lake, and some down by the river. 

Today there are some in Sayre, some in Elk City, and some in other cities throughout globe. Some prefer to go to a church building on Sunday to be with friends, and others prefer to fish or play golf on Sunday with friends - and there is nothing wrong with any of that.

Todays tax exempt church organizations were built by humans, not God, and you find them in almost all cities in the US and around the world. They have staff and agendas, and an implied rule that if you are an obedient follower of Jesus you will join the local fellowship, go regularly to its place of worship,  and support its programs and creeds. Think about it, that is how the Jewish religious leaders felt about their Synagogues. What did God think about the religious gatherings?

“I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies…what do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.” (Amos 5:21; Jeremiah 6:20)

How will Jesus view our "solemn assemblies" when he returns.

Church buildings may serve a purpose for those people who need the fellowship of other humans for moral and spiritual support; and, I suppose it is not a sin to go there to meet that need. But IT IS SINFUL to suggest that members of the body of Christ who do not attend a local church building and support its programs are disobedient to God. 

Members of the body of Christ, the Church, are to work hard to "correctly explain the word of truth".

"Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

And they are to help those in need without telling everyone about it...

"When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get." (Matthew 6:2)

What we do and what we teach will be "manifested in front of the Dais of Christ", the raised platform before the "Great White Throne". There each of us will be judged according to our acts,

"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." (2 Corinthians 5:10 CLV)

"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. And the scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened which is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged by that which is written in the scrolls in accord with their acts." (Revelation 20:11-12 CLV)

Those acts include what is taught in the local solemn assemblies! The bad stuff will be burnt up - I am glad.

"For other foundation can no one lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, 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." Are you not aware that you are a temple of God and the spirit of God is making its home in you? If anyone is corrupting the temple of God, God will be corrupting him, for the temple of God is holy, which you are." Let no one be deluding himself. If anyone among you is presuming to be wise in this eon, let him become stupid, that he may be becoming wise, for the wisdom of this world is stupidity with God." (1 Corinthians 3:11-19)

The "temple of God" is not a building project - it is inside the members of the body of Christ, wherever you may find one.

Something Worth Believing

“Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds” (Romans 5:20)

Before I became aware that the Bible taught the ultimate redemption, reconciliation and salvation of all mankind I spent many hours considering what I was being taught by the Church. It forced me to turn to the Bible and study for myself the destiny of mankind.  The truth I would find is summarized by the Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy…

 “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

Good Comes From Bad

"God is working all things together for good" (Romans 8:28).

M. R. DeHaan (1891-1965) once wrote about this verse as follows…

“Before a thing can be made useful, something must be broken...the history of the world is but the breaking of governments, systems, ideals and programs. The history of every human life, too, is the history of breaking...every broken thing is but the assurance that God is making something useful."

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Spin Doctors

At the end of the ages I find that the Bible teaches that ALL are saved and justified...

“So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to ALL MEN, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to ALL MEN.” (Romans 5:18)

 And I find that ALL are alive and reconciled to God...

“For as in Adam ALL DIE, so also in Christ ALL WILL BE MADE ALIVE...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 1:20)

 And I find that there is no more death or sin when ALL are immortal and God is ALL in ALL.

“...our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel...at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin...the last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put ALL in subjection under His feet...then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected ALL to Him, so that God may be ALL IN ALL.” (2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 9:26; 1Corinthians15:26-28)

We are not told in the Bible what God has done prior to creating the ages nor what will happen after the ages come to an end. We are simply told that these are...

“...things which eye hath not seen and ear has not heard, and which HAVE NOT entered the heart of man...” (1 Corinthians 2:8-9)

Religious spin doctors of Christian institutions over the past 1700 years have managed to hide most of the glorious truth about the ages by adding their own doctrinal “spin”. Their commentaries will be burned up with this present world but the Word of God will endure for the "olam va'ed” (as far as we can see...and BEYOND).

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed… but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (2 Peter 3:10; 1:25)

So just read the Bible and trust in its good news.  You do not need help from me or the spin doctors...you are the object of this glorious good news - the salvation and redemption of sinners - REJOICE!

End Of The Ages

God is the King of "the ages" and He made the ages through Christ Jesus His Son...

“Now to the King of the ages, the incorruptible, invisible, only, and wise God...in these last days did speak to us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He did make the ages” (1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 1:1-2)

And AGE is a long period of time with a beginning and an end. In Hebrew the word is “olam” and refers to a period of time so long that one cannot see beyond it. The phrase "olam va'ed” is usually translated in English Bibles as “forever and ever” but that is NOT what was meant. It means “as far as one can see and beyond”. The Greek word for Age is “aion” and clearly refers to a definite period of time with a beginning and an end even though it is translated “forever” into English sometimes in our Bible...in error. It seems to me that 5 ages  are reflected in the Bible with a beginning and an end of which two of them are past...

Age 1 - the original age when all things were created and ended in the earth becoming without form and void. (Genesis 1:1)

Age 2 - the regeneration of the earth after it became without form and void and ended with the flood of Noah. (Genesis 1:2).

Age 3 – This is present age which began after the FLOOD and Paul calls “the present wicked age”...it will end with the return of Jesus to establish the Messianic Kingdom on the earth.

“Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:4)

There are two ages which are future in which the riches of His grace and kindness (saving of sinners) will be displayed...

“...in the ONCOMING AGES, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His GRACE in His KINDNESS to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)

Age 4 - The 1000 year Kingdom Age promised to Israel (Acts 1:6; Revelation 20:6)

Age 5 - The final Age of a New Heaven and New Earth at the end of which God will be "All in All". (Revelation 21:1; 1 Corinthians 15:28)

“…THEN COMES THE END, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death....then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be ALL IN ALL.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

Predestined

“...but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7)

God had a wise predestined plan BEFORE the ages began and it is good news...

“...the good news according to the power of God, who did save us, and did call with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and GRACE, that was GIVEN to us in Christ Jesus, BEFORE the times of the ages.” (1 Timothy 1:8-9 YLT)

The purpose of this good news plan was to save sinners, not by works or wise decisions they make, but by His "GRACE that was GIVEN to us"...

“...EXPECTATION of eternal life, which God, Who does not lie, promises BEFORE time began.” (Titus 1:2)

Therefore we can EXPECT (be assured) that God will complete the plan as He promised "BEFORE time began". The religious views of men will not change the predetermined plan of God.

"I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me.” (Isaiah 45:5-6)

Spirit Of Life

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2)

What is the law of the “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus”?

Simply that God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself, not counting our failures against us. When we believe this God gives us this Spirit of life...and we have assurance that when this body of flesh and blood dies it will be resurrected a new spiritual being, immortal, and without sin.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that 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 5:17-19)

Let that soak in for a while without the religious “spin” and the truth just might set you free from the law of sin and death!

Ever Feel Like A Piñata?

"Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:32-33)

Had a friend who posted a funny quote which made me laugh – “Have you ever had one of those days, when you’re holding a big stick and everybody looks like a piñata?”

I commented “No, but I have had days where I feel like the piñata and everyone else is holding a big stick”.

Life is designed to be the way it is. Sometimes we persecute, unintentionally I hope, and at other times we feel persecuted. So I began to think…what is meant by “tribulation” in the verses above. Well the Greek word is “thlipsis” and carries the idea of using pressure against something. I picture it as walking up a steep hill toward heaven against a cold 60 mile an hour wind. The easy thing to do would be to turn around and let the wind push you swiftly back down the hill into the church. To heck with that…I am going to keep my nose into the wind and speak the truth of the gospel as I understand it, regardless of how hard the religious wind wants to blow me back down to the valley.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven...” (Matthew 5:11-12)

The Great Accomplishment

“Then Jesus came to them and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

"The salvation of the whole human race is what God proposed in the creation. It is what Christ came into the world to effect, and for the accomplishment of which he was given all needed power in heaven and earth. To this end he died the death of the cross, and thus tasted death for every man; and I submit that such self-sacrificing love cannot suddenly cool, or readily give over to endless torment souls for which it willingly suffered. I should be ashamed of myself, if, believing in God and in Christ, I still feared their ultimate failure in this great work of redemption, whose history fills the Bible." - Thomas J. Sawyer (1804-1899)

We should quit calling Matthew 28:19-20 The Great Commission and call it what it is The Great Accomplishment. God has finished and will complete what he sent Jesus into the world to do…SAVE IT!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

Entombed Will Be Set Free

“We, then, were entombed together with Him through baptism into death, that, even as Christ was roused from among the dead through the glory of the Father, thus we also should be walking in newness of life. For if we have become planted together in the likeness of His death, nevertheless we shall be of the resurrection also...for in that He died, He died to Sin once for all, yet in that He is living, He is living to God. Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to Sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 6:4-11)

Paul is not talking about water baptism but identification with Christ in his death. I heard someone say that “you cannot reform a corpse”. We cannot, but God can and will make all corpses into a new creation...not reformed, but NEW...

“...if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!...may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17: Galatians 6:14-15)

Our only hope is this new creation and it is by faith believers are “reckoning” ourselves to already be that new creation in Christ. And the Bible says that we can and should live as though God has already raised us up to this promised new, immortal, newness of life.

"Let not Sin, then, be reigning in your mortal body, for you to be obeying its lusts. Nor yet be presenting your members, as implements of injustice, to sin, but present yourselves to God as if alive from among the dead, and your members as implements of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be lording it over you, for you are not under law, but under GRACE." (Romans 6:12-14)

The "wages of sin is death", and God is righteous in putting we sinners to death. But the Grace of God raising the sinner into an immortal, new creation is also righteous...

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

If the Bible is the Word of God, then the Grace of God has guaranteed that all sinners will be resurrected into a new creation following death. All are included in the Grace of God, but only believers are comforted by the promise....

“...we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word...the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

We will all be "entombed" and we will all be set free!

All People Will Be Saved

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.” (10:1-2)

Who is "them"?   It is Israel and he tells "them"…

“…if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…” (10:3-5)

To this day Israel, as a nation, has not confessed Jesus nor do they believe God raised him from the dead - so they are not saved YET - but Paul tells us that "all" of them will be saved…

“I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! ...What then? …a partial hardening has happened to ISRAEL until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so ALL ISRAEL will be saved; just as it is written, the deliverer will come from Zion, he will remove ungodliness from JACOB. This is My covenant WITH THEM, when I take away THEIR sins.” (11:1-27)

"All" Gentiles, individuals of all nations, will be saved as well…

”…there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of ALL, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for whoever will call on the name of the Lord WILL BE SAVED….I was found by those who did not seek Me, I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.” (Romans 10:12-20)

OK, but it says "whoever will call on then name of the Lord will be saved". Yes, and the Bible says that "every" one of us will...

“…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 2:10-11)

And since most of mankind have lived and died before Jesus was born this confession must come for them after their resurrection. All ISRAEL will be saved when they confess Jesus ss their Messiah and all GENTILES when they confess Jesus is Lord.

Blameless And Beyond Reproach

"God is love…Love never fails" (1 John 4:8; I Corinthians 13:8).

If the God of the Bible, the one in whom I have chosen to trust, is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent…and is Love… what is there to worry about?

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8 38-39)

He is either the God the Bible says He is, or he is the god of religious myth, a god created by man. And if He is the God of the Bible then NOTHING…even poor decisions…will separate us from the love of God. He will not, nor can He fail in His plan…the plan to reconcile and save all through Christ Jesus our Lord…

“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.” (Colossians 1:19-22)

The Work Of God

"Then they said to Him, what shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said to them, this is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)

They asked the wrong question, but Jesus gave the right answer. It is not about any "works" we must do, but the "work of God". The “work of God” is to bring all mankind to faith in His Son Jesus, the Savior of the world. God’s work will not be complete until “every knee” bows and “every tongue” confesses that Jesus is Lord.

Will God fail in His work? - NOT A CHANCE!

“…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 2:10-11)

What does God use to convince people to believe Him?

"…Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven…and with great power the apostles gave witness to the RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all" (Acts 1:11; 4:33).

The Apostles to Israel understood their witness to be one thing…the RESURRECTION of Jesus. They had seen it first hand, and their great JOY revolved around his resurrection and promised return.

The Apostle to the Gentiles (Paul) understood his witness to be the resurrection of all, and it was this message that motivated him in the face of all his suffering.

“I stand this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His RESURRECTION from the dead He would be the first to proclaim LIGHT both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." (Acts 26:22-23)

And what is this “light” to be proclaimed to both Jews and Gentles? 

The "work of God" - THE RESURRECTION of ALL.

“Christ has been raised from the dead, the FIRST FRUITS of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ ALL WILL BE MADE ALIVE.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

From Faith To Hope

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

Did you notice that LOVE is greater than FAITH?

Many Christians make man's faith greater than God's love it appears to me. They agree that God loves the world and sent Jesus to save it, but say that if a person does not place his faith in Christ he will be eternally condemned.

Nevertheless, God's love is greater than man's faith...and the gospel is about God demonstrating this to us...

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation... For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 5:6-11; 6:23)

God's LOVE will save all sinners in His GRACE. The sinner's FAITH in this salvation gives him hope in the face of death.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...so that God may be all in all." (Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 15:26-28)