April 24th - False Expressions

“Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, in the hypocrisy of false expressions, their own conscience having been cauterized.” (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

That was written 2,000 years ago so I assume the hypocrisy is still around. But how are we to identify the hypocrites? The only way I see is to compare what people teach with the Scripture to see if their teaching sets forth "false expressions".

Here are examples of true expressions in the Bible:

1. Jesus is “the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42)

2. Jesus “takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29)

3. Jesus "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)

4. "..trust in the living God who is the Savior of all humanity." (1 Timothy 4:10)

Words that deny any of the above are "false expressions" of  the hypocrites following "deceiving spirits".

So, what are we to do when we hear false expressions?

"Now a slave of the Lord must not be fighting, but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, bearing with evil, with meekness training those who are antagonizing, seeing whether God may be giving them repentance to come into a realization of the truth, and they will be sobering up out of the trap of the Adversary, having been caught alive by him, for that one’s will." (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

We are to do the best we can to point out the deception of false expressions, hoping to win these people over to the truth by sharing the true expressions found in the Bible. Paul encourages those who know the truth to guard themselves against the deceiving spirits giving out false expressions.

“I am conjuring you in the sight of God and Christ Jesus, Who is about to be judging the living and the dead, in accord with His advent and His kingdom: Herald the word. Stand by it, opportunely, inopportunely, expose, rebuke, entreat, with all patience and teaching. For the era will be when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but, their hearing being tickled, they will heap up for themselves teachers in accord with their own desires, and, indeed, they will be turning their hearing away from the truth, yet will be turned aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:1-4)

False expressions were rampant among the Jews when Jesus came to earth and He warned them.

"Woe to you, Pharisees, and you religious leaders! You are like beautiful mausoleums—full of dead men’s bones, and of foulness and corruption. You try to look like saintly men, but underneath those pious robes of yours are hearts besmirched with every sort of hypocrisy and sin." (Matthew 23:27-28)

The thing that bothers me most is that those making false expressions are usually completely unaware that they come from Satan.

"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..." (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

April 23rd - The Heavenly Space Force

"...that now may be made known to the sovereignties and the authorities among the celestials, through the ecclesia, the multifarious wisdom of God, in accord with the purpose of the eons, which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord..." (Ephesians 3:10-11).

The Bible says that saved humanity will make known the wisdom of God "among the celestials". Jesus left this Earth to go back among the celestials almost two thousand years ago, not in a spacecraft made by human hands, but in an immortal spiritual body designed by God His Father. He is going to return at His Father's appointed time to transform redeemed humanity into a celestial Space Force .

"He was taken up, and a cloud did receive Him up from their sight; and as they were looking stedfastly to the heaven in His going on, then, lo, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, `Men, Galileans, why do ye stand gazing into the heaven? this Jesus who was received up from you into the heaven, shall so come in what manner ye saw Him going on to the heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)

Jesus said He has gone to prepare a new place for humanity who He had redeemed with His blood shed on the cross.  

"Let not your heart be disturbed. Believe in God, and believe in Me." In My Father's house are many abodes; yet if not I would have told you, for I am going to make ready a place for you." And if I should be going and making ready a place for you, I am coming again and I will be taking you along to Myself, that where I am, you also may be." (John 14:1-3) 

When Jesus returns those who have died watching for His return and those of us now watching for Him will rise into the clouds to meet Him among the celestials to become a celestial Space Force!

"...keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come." (Matthew 24:42)

"...for the Lord Himself will be descending from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the Chief Messenger, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall be rising first, then we, the living who are surviving, shall at the same time be snatched away together with them in clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus shall we always be together with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

This Space Force was a secret until revealed to our Apostle Paul as the plan of God for those watching...

"Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed." For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality." Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)

Humanity dreams of exploring space, and builds spacecraft to reach out into the celestial regions of the Universe. That is exciting, but I think I will wait until my new body becomes an immortal spacecraft which can roam the celestial regions of the Universe without needing a man made  spacecraft!

"For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Savior also, the Lord, Jesus Christ, Who will transfigure the body of our humilation, to conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even to subject all to Himself." (Philippians 3:20-21)

Yep, humanity will become the Space Force of God. Traveling among the celestials is our future destiny - so says the God of the Bible!