April 2nd - It took 72 hours to Save Humanity

It took God 72 hours to save humanity. Following is the way it happened as I understand the Bible...

"He begins to teach them that the Son of Mankind must be suffering and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after AFTER THREE DAYS days rise." (Mark 8:31)

“For even as Jonah was in the bowel of the sea monster three days and three nights; thus will the Son of Mankind be in the heart of the earth THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS.” (Matthew 12:40)

"Now, crucifying Him, they divide His garments, casting the lot... And they place above His head His charge written: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." About the ninth hour Jesus exclaims with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi! Lema sabachthani?"...with a loud voice, lets out the spirit." (Matthew27:36-37, 46-50)

"The Jews, then, since it was the preparation, lest the bodies should be remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for it was the HIGH DAY, that sabbath), ask Pilate that they might fracture their legs, and they may be taken away." (John 19:31)

"And lo! a man named Joseph...approaching Pilate, requests the body of Jesus. And taking it down, he folds it up in a linen wrapper, and he places Him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one was lying as yet. And it was the DAY OF PREPARATION. Now following after, the women who were come together out of Galilee with Him, gaze at the tomb, and how His body was placed." (Luke 23:50, 52,54-56)

The "high day" or high sabbath was a name for those sabbath days which occur once a year during the Jewish festivals. During the festival periods there are "high" sabbaths as well as the weekly sabbath. Passover is the first "high day" of the seven days of the festival of Unleavened Bread. The day before Passover is called the "day of preparation". Jesus was crucified on the preparation day before the "high day" of Passover. It is the first day of the seven day festival of Unleavened Bread and the day after the weekly sabbath is another "high day" called Firstfruits. 

It was three nights and three days after Jesus was crucified on the preparation day for the "high day" of Passover. The women came to the tomb at sunrise on the second "high day", Firstfruits, and were told He had been resurrected...

"Now it is the evening of the sabbaths. At the lighting up into one of the sabbaths came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to behold the sepulcher...the messenger said to the women, "Fear you not! For I am aware that you are seeking Jesus, the Crucified." He is not here, for He was roused, according as He said. Hither! Perceive the place where the Lord lay." (Matthew 28:1-6)

Summary of the events of the death and resurrection of Jesus:

A Jewish day begins at sunset and ends the next day at sunset. The preparation day had began at sundown on a Tuesday evening and Jesus ate the Passover meal with His disciples. Later that night Jesus was arrested and brought before the Jewish high priest and tried. It was Wednesday morning when He was delivered over to Pilot. After Pilot had talked with Jesus he ordered Him to be flogged and crucified which occurred on Wednesday before noon. Jesus died at three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. Just before sundown Jesus was placed in a tomb owned by a man named Joseph.

Wednesday night passes...Thursday passes...Thursday night passes...Friday passes...Friday night passes...Saturday passes - three full nights and three full days.

Then at sundown on Saturday, at the end of the third full day, Jesus comes back to life, the Firstfruit of all who will be resurrected from death to life never to die again. It was the third day after the day he was killed.

So, 72 hours from His entombment the salvation of humanity is secured when He rose from death!

The death, entombment and resurrection of Jesus is the good news (gospel/evangel). The details of those events which provided for the salvation of humanity is important to me, and is part of what Paul instructed Timothy to "Prescribe and teach".

"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...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." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

“Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom I am.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

"Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this we are toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of ALL mankind, especially of believers. These things be CHARGING AND TEACHING.” (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

April 1st - What happens when we die?

What Happens When We Die?

"Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams, declares the LORD, and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:32)

It is hard to distinguish between what God has actually said from what men say that God says. Following is an example of what sincere men say God says...

“Adam sinned and immediately died spiritually. Eventually, he died physically” Bob Hoekstra – Day by Day Grace

Let’s look at the verse of Scripture Mr. Hoekatra was commenting on…

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)

Do you see the word “spiritual” in that verse? No, there is no spiritual death taught in the Bible. You are either dead or you are alive. At death the body of flesh and blood returns to the soil. The spirit returns to God who gave it, and the soul rests/sleeps until the resurrection.

“Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David…Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.” (1 Kings 2:10; Acts 2:29)

No one is made alive again until Jesus returns to resurrect the dead.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:3)

"What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies." (1 Corinthians 15:50-53)

March 31st - Behold, the Lamb of God

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

In the Law given to Israel a perfect “lamb” was required to be sacrificed once a year to atone for the sins of Israel. This annual sacrifice provided a temporary shelter for the sins of Israel, however, it could not “take away sins”committed in the following year.

Two thousand years after the giving of the law of Moses, God Himself offered the final sacrifice on behalf of Israel and all other nations. That sacrifice was His Son Jesus, the LAMB of God. It has taken away the sins of the world - all of them - for all time!

“He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2) 

“…we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins FOR ALL TIME, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected FOR ALL TIME those who are sanctified." (Hebrews 10)

What a glorious demonstration of love and grace!

“God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes...being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation, through Him....that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the approach present (gift) of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Romans 5:6-10; Ephesians 2:7-9)

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15)

March 30th - The Faith that Saves

Speaking to Israel God said:

“For I WILL take you out of the nations; I WILL gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I WILL sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I WILL cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I WILL give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you...I WILL save you from all your uncleanness...THEN you will remember your evil ways and wicked deeds, and YOU WILL loathe yourselves for your sins and detestable practices..." (Ezekiel 36:24-31)

Note that it is AFTER God changes their hearts and puts His Spirit within them that they will "loathe yourselves for your sins". In other words, true repentance occurs AFTER God saves. 

...I want you to know that I am NOT doing this for your sake, declares the Sovereign LORD. Be ashamed and disgraced for your conduct, people of Israel!.. I the LORD have spoken, and I WILL DO IT." (Ezekiel 36:32)

Religious Jews think they are saved by following the law of Moses, repenting, and offering acceptable sacrifices for disobedience. I was brought up in a church teaching essentially the same thing. That I would be saved only if I repented of my sin, accepted Jesus, and was baptized. 

I have since learned that true repentance for my sin came AFTER I learned that my salvation was not a result of some decision I made, but by the GRACE of God and THE FAITH of Christ Jesus. Redemption is a gift to humanity that flows to all out of the death, entombment, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

"...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 come short of the glory of God, being declared righteous freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:22-24)

Such knowledge has liberated me from religious bondage. I now realize that I am righteous in Jesus Christ whose faith saved me!

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

"If you continue in MY WORD, you are truly My followers. THEN you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

March 29th - Good News Reminder!

"Therefore as by the sin of one (Adam) judgment came upon all humanity to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift came upon all humanity unto justification of life." (Romans 5:18)

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

Just as Adam's sin brought condemnation and death to humanity, Christ Jesus brought the free gift of righteousness and eternal life to us all. Not just a few Christians....ALL humanity.

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Paul delivered the final words of Jesus to humanity - the gospel of the grace of God. Believing it is the ONLY way to become free from the bondage of the religions in the world. 

Here once again is the truth of the grace of God that makes us free. Paul preached it to all nations.

"God commends His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” (Romans 5:10)

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

“For even as in Adam ALL are dying, thus also, in Christ shall ALL be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself not counting their sins against them.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

“And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile ALL unto Himself.” (Colossians 1:20)

“God our Savior…will have ALL humanity to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4)

"...there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all." (1 Tim. 2:5-6)

“Trust in the living God, who is the Savior of ALL humanity.” (1 Tim. 4:10)

"...teach these things." (1 Tim. 4:11)

March 28th - 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 the world 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 Spirit (power) of truth to those who believe Jesus is the Messiah. The power of truth would abide in them, and on Pentecost, 50 days after His resurrection, the power to share the truth 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 and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit was giving them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)

By the power of His Spirit they spoke in the various languages telling everyone the truth about the death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return of their Messiah Jesus.  

This power gave helps our weakness and enables us to pray according to the will of God. And, Christ Jesus intercedes for us at the right hand of God making sure that nothing can separate us from the love of God and Christ Jesus.

“…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)

Sinners are justified by the "faith of Christ" and His faith saves us, not our faith or any good things we may do.

"...having perceived that a man is not being justified by works of law, except alone through the faith of Christ Jesus, we also believe in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by the faith of Christ." (Galatians 2:16-17)

We have little faith, but we should not beat ourselves up because we have so little. We can trust in "Jesus Christ's faith", the faith He had that His death, entombment, and resurrection would guarantee the salvation of all!

March 27th - The Mystery Revealed

The Apostle Paul tells us that the “gospel” (good news) given to him by the resurrected Jesus was the “mystery of Christ”. That mystery was that all nations will "rejoice and be glad in His salvation".

“When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the nations are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Ephesians 3:4-6)

Paul refers to this mystery as “my gospel" which had been “kept secret” in the past.

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to MY GOSPEL and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past…” (Romans 16:25-27)

Paul, the Apostle to the nations, elaborates on what he calls “my gospel” in his New Testament letters. John, one of the twelve Apostles to Israel, and the writer of Revelation, recognized that Jesus had not only atoned for the sins of Israel, but also for everyone else...

"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)

Paul explains that the “mystery” revealed to him wass the good news that by the grace of God Christ Jesus will return "bringing salvation" to ALL people and that God will "reconcile to Himself ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven".

“For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people…God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself not counting their trespasses against them...and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross…"  (Titus 2:11; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 1:19-20)

Paul told everyone that...

"Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence." (Colossians 1:21-22)

"…the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God…in this expectation we are saved; but expectation that is seen is no expectation at all. Who expects what he can already see? We expect what we do not yet see, and we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:19-25) 

Again - ALL creation will someday "be set free"! That is our expectation (hope)!

In this life we only HEAR about our salvation and reconciliation with God. We show our trust in what we have heard by having FAITH in what we do not presently see.  

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not being seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

But there will come a time when ALL humans will SEE and enter the Kingdom of God where they will dwell with God in the New Heaven and New Earth.

"That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." (1 Timothy 4:10)

"Jesus responded and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God...Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:3, 5)

So, when will we be born again of the Spirit?  Paul tells us about this mystery...

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit. The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven...And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man (Adam), so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man (Jesus)." (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

"Behold, I am telling you a secret...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, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:50-53)

It just does not get any better than that! It is a shame that most people remain unaware of the plan of God for humanity revealed in the Bible - the salvation and reconciliation of ALL to God.