Random Thoughts on the Really Good News

I have never met a human that didn’t sin. However, I have met a few who think they don’t, or at least give you that impression. They are usually condemning sinners for sinning, and worse, are saying God will condemn them – for eternity – unless they do this or that. So, for THEIR sake, let’s take a stroll through the Bible they are usually thumping, remembering that God is LOVE, but humanity, all of us, are NOT. All humans are equally subject to the penalty for sin - which is death. There are no self-righteous acts that can avoid it. “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6 NLT) “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.” (Romans 3:23-24 NLT) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life t...

“Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed” (Hebrews 11:1 CLNT) The faith that the Bible speaks of is not some blind leap into the dark, but it is believing that what God says is true even though we are not now observing it, or able to prove it.  For example,  God has promised to resurrect the dead when Jesus returns. We assume and expect it to happen even though we have never observed anyone dying and coming back to life. But we have chosen to believe the Bible. Some say there is no God and when we die that is it…that is their faith.  They have no hope beyond this world.  Choosing to have  faith in God gives me peace and hope in this chaotic world. I agree with Paul when he said… “If in this life only we have hope…we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)

"Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all humanity. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God... And now I commend you to God and to the word of His GRACE, which is able to build you up and to GIVE you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:26-32) The revival was over. We had listened to a dynamic speaker for two weeks. During that time there were over 90 decisions for Christ and many other rededications. At one service, everyone there walked the aisle to make one decision or another or to pray at the altar, myself included. At the end of the last service, we had been challenged to "go win the world to Christ, one person at a time, bcause he who wins souls is wise ". Everyone was saying Amen and left fully intending to be a part of a great renewal. The evangelist received a big love offering and off he went to his next scheduled revival. Sound familiar?  Problem was that two w...

The word “gospel” means “good news” The good news is about the Son of God, Christ Jesus… “It is the gospel of God…concerning His Son” (Romans 1:1,2) The good news was made known to the Apostle Paul through a revelation of Jesus Christ… “For I am making known to you, brethren, as to the gospel, which is being brought by me, that it is not in accord with man. For neither did I accept it from a man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12) The good news is powerful… “…it is the power of God unto salvation…” (Romans 1:16) The good news reveals the righteousness of God… “For in it the righteousness of God is being revealed…” (Romans 1:17) Is there a simple statement of the basis for the good news? – yes there is… “For I give over to you among the first what also I accepted, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was entombed, and that He has been resurrected the third day according to the scriptures......

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) At the center of an ideal family relationship is love, agape love. By family I mean a father, mother, and their children.  In this kind of relationship with each other there is security, peace, faith, hope and joy….and freedom. My perception of God is that He meets mankind on this basis…as His family. Not on a scientific, forensic basis of pure justice under Law…like is required in the government of men. We are not dealt with out of His overbearing demand for obedience to His just Law, but under the Grace of a loving parent who gives us an ideal standard to live by, then allows us to test this standard within our own unique set of circumsta...

"Are you not aware that those racing in a stadium are, indeed, all racing, yet one is obtaining the prize? Thus be racing that you may be grasping it...lest somehow, when heralding to others, I myself may become disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) Paul says he is not engaging in the race "voluntarily" - "for wages" (for a prize) - but "involuntarily" .  "For if I should be bringing the evangel, it is not for me to boast in, for necessity is lying upon me, for it were woe to me if I should not be bringing the evangel!  For if I am engaging in this voluntarily, I have wages, yet if involuntarily, I have been entrusted with an administration." (1 Corinthians 9:16-17) He (or we) need not train to run a race to win a prize that Christ has already won. Humanity's race is simply to "grasp" what Christ has won on its behalf. All will "grasp" it when God's plan is consummated at the close of the eons. In the ...

I have to return to the basics sometimes in my meditations about God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I remind myself of the good news (gospel) of God concerning his Son (Jesus) delivered by the Apostle Paul. Here are the basics: The Son of God, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of mankind He was buried and remained in the tomb for three days and three nights He was resurrected to life "Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it...I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said."   (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4) When I believe those three things I feel blessed and have peace, joy and hope. When I question or am tempted to stop believing those three things, I lose hope. "For the grace of God has been ...

“To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord...instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths… It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:1-20) You can search all you want but you will not find a single verse in the Bible that says the penalty for sin is Christianity’s morbid concept of “hell” eternal conscious torment). It is a myth. The penalty for sin is DEATH in the Bible. "The wages of sin is death..."  (Romans 6:23) Jesus came into the world to save sinners from DEATH - the penalty for sin. But for more than 1900 years there have been a...

Political and religious differences of opinion seem to have fostered such disunity among our American citizens that I fear nothing short of war, and maybe not even that, will bring us together. It is depressing to me at times so I find myself feeling that God is not paying attention. So, I go back into the Bible for encouragement. Here is what I found this morning that helped restore some joy in the midst of these turbulent times. "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven..." (Matthew 6:9 Jesus came into the world to introduce a perceived distant God, as “Our Father” . All that is going on around us is simply preparing us all for the good that "Our Father" will when He gathers His family at the great reunion He will host for humanity one day. He is, after all, tHE “Father of all” .  "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who i...

“Fear not, for I am with you…” (Isaiah 41:10) Most of the world is united in the opposite. Out of this FEAR they have… Shut down schools; cancelled sporting events, concerts, and almost all other public entertainment; bankrupted small and large businesses dependent on social gatherings; hoarded resources; watched fearmongering news organization 24-7; and, prayed like God is just waiting on X number of prayers before He decides to have some pity of us. One thing God IS DOING. He is allowing this whole crisis to escalate beyond what was necessary if people would have a little faith in God. Reminds me of Jesus when He lamented to the folks of His day… “…when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth.” (Luke 18:6) Not if He came today! Sorry if that offends you, but we can do nothing better than to use common sense and place it all in God’s hands. He obviously allowed it to happen and He will allow us to find a remedy without all the fear we see on the news. God did not ...

Is it possible for an immortal created being to become mortal? If Jesus really died on the cross, then the answer is yes. And He did die, or the Bible is false and the evangel which Paul accepted is false. “Now I am making known to you, brethren, the evangel which I bring to you, which also you accepted, in which also you stand, through which also you are saved, if you are retaining what I said in bringing the evangel to you, outside and except you believe feignedly. For I give over to you among the first what also I accepted, that Christ DIED for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was ENTOMBED, and that He has been ROUSED the third day according to the scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, thereupon by the twelve." (1 Corinthians 15:1-5) But how is it possible for the immortal Son of God to become mortal? Only in the context of the space time continuum which He created.  "In the beginning was the Word...In the world He was, and the world came into b...

“…turn back to God from idols,to be slaving for the living and true God, and to be waiting for His Son out of the heavens, Whom He rouses from among the dead, Jesus, our Rescuer out of the coming indignation.”   (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10) Believers have been waiting for Jesus to return for about 2,000 years. It is not surprising then that we wonder if He will really come from time to time. Before Peter died, he warned that in the “last days” there would be those doubting that Jesus would return. “…knowing this first, that in the last days scoffers will be coming with scoffing, going according to their own desires and saying, Where is the promise of His presence? For since the fathers were put to repose, all is continuing thus from the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4) The fact that there are more "scoffers" in the Church than ever before is actually a sign of the "last days" . R egardless of when, the Scripture is clear that Jesus will return. “...and...

"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) Jesus said this to a Samaritan women at Jacob's well. From that conversation she came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah and went into town to tell her friends. Some of those friends came to the well to visit with Jesus over a two day period and concluded: "...we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42) What did they mean by "Savior of the world" ? It has been almost 2,000 years and the world is not saved any more than it was at that time. Therefore it must be saved in the future or Jesus is not the Savior of the world. What does all humanity have in common?  They all die. The wages of sin is still "death" no matter how many religious organizations you join or how many times you tell people to "repent or perish". "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...The wa...

Dear God: It’s me again. I finally retired from my job and have had more time to study the Bible. Read it through several times and wrote down what I think you’re telling me for my family and the few friends I have left. It is really good news for humanity! Thanks for letting me know about it. That something in me I asked you to strengthen seems to be working out. The Bible calls it your Spirit and just wanted you to know how much it helps me. But it seems a lot of folks don’t like it. Especially the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and most Christians. But I wanted you to know I believe you anyway. Here is a copy of what your Spirit says to me. Again, thanks. Jrwlbook.blogspot.com P.S. Let me know if I missed something. I love you a lot, Robert

Of what value was a first-class ticket on the Titanic? Such is how I feel about life on this planet in general. It really doesn’t matter whether you go economy or first class. It is good to work to go first class if you can but remember that the trip through this world ends in tragedy for all – and a new life for all in Christ Jesus. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Eternal life beyond the Titanic is what we can be assured of because God loves humanity – even liberal, Trump hating Democrats – and all of us will be changed at the mysterious last "trump" (pun intended). “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and th...

”...God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Love is His essence. His attributes are justice, power and wisdom. His essence is absolute, his attributes are relative.  God was just to make the penalty for sin death.  God was also just when he  "justified"  the unjust through Christ  "by his blood";  and, promised the "resurrection" of the dead. His essence would not be love if He did not use His attribute of omniscient power to save and change all of His erring children. “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!” (Romans 5:8-9) “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive…Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at ...

"Alexander the coppersmith displayed to me much evil: the Lord will be paying him in accord with his acts --whom you also guard against, for very much has he withstood words of ours. At my first defense no one came along with me, but all forsook me. May it not be reckoned against them!. Yet the Lord stood beside me, and He invigorates me, that through me the heralding may be fully discharged, and all the nations should hear; and I am rescued out of the mouth of the lion. The Lord will be rescuing me from every wicked work and will be saving me for His celestial kingdom: to Whom be glory for the eons of the eons. Amen!"  (2 Timothy 4:14-18) Alexander the Coppersmith was most likely a witness for the prosecutor, and in his testimony brought  "evil"  accusations against Paul before the Roman tribunal. Paul had to testify for himself and had no friends there to testify on his behalf. Alexander was being used as a witness to impeach the character of Paul, and was lying ...

”He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”  (Isaiah 33:6) I found the phrase  “fear of the Lord”  22 times in the New International Version of the Bible. Humanity is admonished to fear the Lord as a conscious CHOICE. That choice to fear the Lord is the key to the treasure of finding a sure foundation for loving God and our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. But God does not GIVE us a  "spirit of fear" . “God hath not given us the spirit of fear...”  (II Timothy 1:7). The choice to fear the Lord is the BEGINNING, not the end, of wisdom. It starts us on our journey to find that sin has been atoned for as the result of God's love and faithfulness. ”Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.”  (Proverbs 16:6) Unfortunately, the fear of God is where most Jews and Christians remain. But we are not to...

“…be filled with the knowledge of His will…” (Colossians 1:10) 19 years ago I began to pray the above prayer for myself. Soon thereafter I began to examine my doctrinal positions.  In doing so I had to face squarely a question I had avoided for the most part - Is it really God’s WILL to separate Himself from unbelievers, keeping them alive eternally to punish and torment them?  I was determined to be "filled with the knowledge of His will"  even if it meant to embrace this doctrine which seemed to me to contradict the love of God. And for 5 years I studied Scripture, and the more I studied, the more it became obvious that this doctrine was not in the original language of His Word. When the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to punish the people of God who had refused to worship him, he had them thrown into a furnace of fire... “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” (Daniel 3:6) Is o...

“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for ALL OF THE PEOPLE; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) The birth of Jesus is good news of great joy for “all the people” . Both Jew and Gentile are included in this salvation. And the savior would later tell how he would save us... "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32) We should not celebrate the birth of our Savior without celebrating his love for “all the people” , which amazingly includes the "ungodly" for Paul tell us in his letter to Rome... “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us...having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (Romans 5:6-9) The w...