December 12th - The Grace and Salvation of God are FREE Gifts to Humanity

"I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus." (1 Corinthians 1:4)

The GRACE we receive is FREE. We do not earn, accept, or reject it. It is a gift given us “by Jesus Christ”.

And we are SAVED after death by the grace of God, it is also FREE. And it is ours “through Jesus Christ”.

“…the FREE gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23b)

I notice some translations leave out the word “free”. They have a problem with salvation being FREE. They add words like “offer” to their translations, but the Bible in the original language has no such "offer".  Salvation is a "free gift" to “all humanity” by the "grace of God"…

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all humanity…” (Titus 2:11)

Notice the addition of the word "offers" in the NIV translation...

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” (Titus 2:11 NIV)

I like the NIV because of the way it reads, but the Greek manuscripts do not include the word "offers".

I know most of you will not take time to look it up in the Greek so here it is for the verses above in Romans…

“…τὸ δὲ χάρισμα (free gift) τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν."(Romans 6:23 Greek)

The NIV leaves out “free gift”, and adds “offers” to the text. Their translators knew most people would not look it up. The offer is THEIR offer, not GOD's. 

Again, God says that Salvation is a “free gift” to “all humanity” by the “grace of God given to you by Christ Jesus."

Rejoice in that as we approach the celebration of the birth of "the Savior of the world"...

"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all 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)

"We have heard for ourselves and know that this one is indeed the Savior of the world" (John 4:42)

"The Father has sent the Son to be (not offer to be) the Savior of the world..." (1 John 4:14)

December 11th - The Gifts From God

The Bible tells us of some specific things that God GIVES…

“…the grace of God given to you by Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:4)

“For by grace you have been saved…it is a gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“My peace I give to you…” (John 14:27)

“…and I give them eternal life…" (John 10:28:)

"...the free gift of God is Eternal Life…” (Romans 6:23b)

“…and He will give you another helper…” (John 14:16)

“…may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of Him…” (Ephesians 1:17)

“…it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom…” (Luke 12:32)

Every good and perfect thing we have received or will receive is a GIFT from God. It is NOT a reward for good behavior. God is not indebted to us for being good occasionally.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17)

God gives out of a Father’s LOVE, which of course is His very nature for…

“…God is love” (1 John 4:8)

The love of God as our Father requires disciplining us occasion. This discipline results from our bad behavior. However, it is always remedial and balanced and is good for us…

"Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17)

December 10th - Gehenna or Hell

Jesus said…

“And if thy hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to HELL - the unquenchable fire, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:43-44).

Did Jesus really say that?  Not exactly. What Jesus actually said, properly translated, was…

“And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off. It is better to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to GEHENNA – the unquenchable fire, where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”

I have highlighted the one word that differs, but it exposes the error of religion.

"GEHENNA" was a literal place, the valley of the sons of Hinnom. It is located outside the walls of Jerusalem, and at the time Jesus made the above comment, it was a place used to take their trash. It had a continual fire that burned the trash and dead carcasses, including criminals. 

"HELL" is the underworld of Greek mythology. Religions that use it as an illustration of eternal torment are embracing pagan Greek mysticism.  So, what was Jesus teaching in Mark 9 above when He used the word "Gehenna"? 

Pretty simple really. It is better to live righteously in this life without ones hands than to use them for criminal activity and be caught, convicted and sentenced to death – resulting in the body being cast into Gehenna to rot, be eaten by worms, and burned with the trash.

The true gospel of Christ Jesus says Jesus died as a "ransom for all", even those criminals whose bodies were cast into Gehenna. They will be saved out of death, and reconciled to God who is gracious, merciful and good. He has compassion on all He has made. As King David said…

“The Lord is good to everyone: and His compassion rests on all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9).

Paul considered himself to be the worst sinner for having consented to the murder and imprisonment of those who believed Jesus is the Messiah. The risen Jesus confronted by him on the road to Damascus. Paul tells us what will happen to himself, the foremost sinner, and all others...

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I…this is ideal and welcome in the sight of our savior God, Who wills that all humanity be saved…For there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, a man, Christ Jesus, who is giving Himself a correspondent ransom for all.” (1 Timothy 1:15-2:1-7)

"The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 3:23)

Sinners die for their sin, yet God will save us from perishing in death! 

Hitler's final solution was to exterminate all Jews. The religion of some people teaches that their god's final solution is to endlessly torture everyone who does not join that religion. However, the Bible, read in its entirety, teaches that God's final solution is to save every sinner out of death as the result of the shed blood of His Son on the cross of Calvary. The shedding of His innocent blood was a demonstration of His love, grace, and mercy toward sinners. God laid upon Jesus the sins of all humanity. Jesus was saved out of death and that will happen for all sinners. Our sinful, dying flesh and blood bodies, are destined to be transformed into the image of the resurrected Jesus.

"He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption." (Hebrews 9:12)

"For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28)

"Now we all...mirroring the Lord's glory, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from th Lord, the spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

"As in Adam, all die, even so, in Christ, shall all be made alive." (1 Corinthians 15:22)

December 9th - The Sign of the Times

Is there a specific “sign” of the return of Jesus? The religious Jews of His day demanded a sign to prove He was the Messiah, and Jesus responded as follows…

“Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it EXCEPT the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:39-40)

That sign was fulfilled when Jesus lay dead “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” before He was raised to life just as Jonah was in the belly of the sea creature three days and three nights before he was spit out. Today, we are to “watch” in faith for the sign of His return, and that sign is His appearance "in heaven" even though we do not know the day or hour He will appear.

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great trumpet call, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds,  from one end of sky to the other…Therefore KEEP WATCH, for you do not know on what DAY your Lord comes.  And know this, that if the master of the house had known in what time of night the thief comes, he would have watched and not have allowed his house to be broken into. Because of this, you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes in that HOUR you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:30-31; 40-42)

I watch for His return, and I return to the Lord when I stray from time to time while waiting for His appearance "on the clouds of heaven".

“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds...let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, HE WILL APPEAR; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.…”(Hosea 6:1-3)

"For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)

December 8th - Flesh and Blood

“Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 15:50)

Note that even Believers (Christians if you prefer)  cannot inherit the kingdom of God until we are rid of our "flesh and blood” bodies. And, not one of us are righteous now - except by faith. 

“There is none righteous, no not one...” (Romans 3:10). 

"Yet now, apart from law, a righteousness of God is manifest (being attested by the law and the prophets), yet a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing..." (Romans 3:21-22)

"Therefore, since we have now been justified (made righteous) by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath (death) through Him! For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! (Romans 5:9-11)

Again, none of us will inherit the kingdom of God in our current bodies of flesh and blood. However, by the GRACE of God, we will eventually be changed into a new creation with a SPIRITUAL and IMMORTAL sinless body. 

“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…the spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual…and just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man (Jesus)”. (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

Only in that resurrected, immortal, spiritual body can anyone enter and see the Kingdom of God. That kingdom is future. One must remember this in order to understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote...

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

The bible often uses a literary figure of speech called "prolepsis". It is defined by the Encyclopedia Britannica as "a figure of speech in which a future act or development is represented as if already accomplished or existing." 

We believers speak of ourselves as saved, justified  and sanctified. But we are speeking proleptically. Our actual salvation, justification, and sanctification remains to be manifested in the future when we are "born again", changed into our spiritual and imperishable bodies.  For now we have that expectation (hope)only by believing (having faith in) the good news.

Once God's plan for humanity is complete there will be no murders, thieves, slanderers, homosexuals, bisexuals, self righteous hypocrites, Christians, Muslims, Hindu, etc. Humans - all of us - will then be completed in the image of Christ, and will enter, see, and eternally dwell in the New Heaven and New Earth, the eternal Kingdom of God!

December 7th - All is from Him

“For, who knew the mind of the Lord? or, who became His adviser? or, who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen! (Romans 11:35-36)

It seems to me that the various religions of the world, including Christianity, have missed this simple truth. Maybe because it is so simple and profound – “out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL”. But most likely they mussed this truth because of fear of making the Lord responsible for evil. 

However, if the Bible is true then ALL things are from the Lord - even evil.  Don't believe me? Well maybe you will believe Him...

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

“…it is I who have created the destroyer to destroy.” (Isaiah 54:16)

“The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.” (Proverbs 16:4)

"For to VANITY was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him who subjects it…” (Romans 8:20-21)

So, what is God's "purpose" for evil, for the destroyers, and for wicked people?

No, I don't like to think about it either, but I have, and these are my thoughts after reading the Bible - all of it!

- God created evil because He wanted humanity to have the knowledge of evil as well as good.

- God uses evil to humble us and teach us that good is better than evil. 

- Humanity learns what is good by contrasting it with evil.

- God is not finished with humanity. He is at work in all of us. When He is done He will banish evil and wipe away all tears and pain.

- God will create a New Heaven and New Earth without evil.

- God has eternity to make up for the evil humanity experiences in this present age. 

- Humanity will be transformed into immortals that know by experience that the evil we experience in this temporary time on earth is not worthy to be compared to the glory we will have in the new creation.

There you have it. The evil we see all around us IS FROM the Lord, and it is a necessary part of our journey to immortality. 

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Romans 11:34)

I do not like the evil I endure, so I hold tight to the good I sometimes stumble upon in this world.

"Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good." (Romans 12:9)

December 6th - Receiving Jesus

“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, even those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

I have heard countless invitations in which the pastor promises salvation if his listeners would “receive" Jesus based on the above scripture.

But those verses do NOT say that those who receive Him are then saved, it says they are given “the right to BECOME children of God”. So, when do they BECOME the children of God? It is when two things happen. First, they “believe in His name” and Second, are “born not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor the will of man, BUT OF GOD”.

No human being sees or enters the Kingdom of God of their own free will. It is a matter of the will "of God”. And, it is the will of God that they be born AGAIN of "the Spirit"  before they can enter and see the Kingdom of God. Jesus told Nicodemus...

"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot SEE the kingdom of God…unless one is born of water AND the Spirit he cannot ENTER the Kingdom of God." (John 3:3,5)

All human beings are “born of water” when their mother’s water breaks. And all human beings are born of “the Spirit” after they are resurrected from death.

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 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...However, the SPIRITUAL is not first, but the natural; then the SPIRITUAL.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

Being born again was a mystery until the mystery was revealed by the Apostle Paul.

“Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a MYSTERY; we will not all sleep, but 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. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-57)

One final question: How many humans will finally receive Jesus, believe in His name, and enter the Kingdom of God as His children? 

Answer: ALL of them!

"...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...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:10-13)

"...for this is ideal and welcome in the sight of our Saviour, God, Who wills that ALL humanity be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and humanity, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for ALL (the testimony in its own eras), for which I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the nations in knowledge and truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-7)

December 5th - Happy Birthday Sue Ann!

Happy Birthday Sue Ann!

I love my wife. She puts me in my place when necessary, states her mind as she sees it, and then proceeds to live her life in a way that mirrors Christ. She would not agree with that last part. She thinks of herself as “unspiritual." She has a favorite verse…

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

She loves me, her children, and her grandchildren without measure. That is the measure of a spiritual woman as I interpret the Bible!

Again, Happy Birthday to the love of my life!

December 4th - The Path to Glory

“I am crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20)

When Jesus hung on the cross it was a graphic declaration that death is the only path to GLORY for humanity. I repeat - Sin, death, and the grave is the path to GLORY. Even Christ Jesus, when He became a man, was on that path.  He was the "first fruits" of those raised from death to immortal life, the rest of us will follow…

“Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep...Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His GLORY?...But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with GLORY and honor..." (1 Corinthians 15:20; Luke 24:26; Hebrews 2:9)

It is the "Spirit of Christ" within us that testifies to us of our future salvation from death and the glory to follow...

"As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the GRACE that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the GLORIES to follow." (1 Peter 1:11)

The governments and religions of the world are not a path to GLORY, regardless of how righteous they may seem. It is not political party affiliation or church membership that determines the GLORY that will be ours AFTER death. It is determined only by the "GRACE" that is ours in the plan of God.

Christ died…so will we
Christ was raised….so will we
Christ was glorified…so will we

“Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep...As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, IT IS RAISED IN GLORY...” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22,42-43)

The resurrection of Christ Jesus was the key that unlocked the glory to come for all others...

"Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised." (1 Corinthians 15:12-15)

So, the godless liberal and the most God centered conservative need to get this straight - are you listening? Humanity is not on the path to glory by being "politically or doctrinally correct". The holiest among us, as well as the most wicked, are on the same path to glory.  

The wrath of God ends with the death of the sinner. Every person will be suitably chastened by God, die, and then be saved out of death! - resurrected to enter the glory of the Kingdom of God. That is the power of the blood of Christ!

"Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath." (Romans 5:9)

"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 humanity.” (1 Timothy 4:9-10)

On our path to glory, humanity should work to be productive citizens, safe and secure - but it is the grace of God that will bring us into the glory of the Kingdom of God .

December 3rd - From Death to Life

“The LORD God commanded the human, saying, From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17)

The Hebrew word translated “die” is more accurately rendered “to die shall you be dying". In other words the mortality of humanity would not be prolonged indefinitely by eating from the tree of life. 

"Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever, therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken." (Genesis 3:22-23)

“…as through one human the sin did enter into the world, and through the sin the death; and to all humanity the death did pass through, for that all did sin…” (Romans 5:12)

I was asked by a Christian friend if I thought his Daddy had lied to him when he told him that the penalty for unconfessed sin is everlasting punishment in hell. I said no he did not lie to you, he told you what he believed, it just was not true.

I am confident that the wages of sin is DEATH, just as the free gift of God is eternal LIFE. Our existence began with God creating us in our mother’s womb and ends in death because we are mortal. Following that death, our new creation will start when death is abolished by our resurrection into immortal 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)

"...as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…" (Romans 5:21)

"The last enemy that will be abolished is death...Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly…this mortal must put on immortality…then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:26,49, 53, 54)

God's plan in the Bible for sinful mortals is to become sinless immortals!

December 2nd - Sanctified in the Truth

"...Sanctify them in the truth, Your Word is truth." (John 17:17)

The truth is always the "truth" whether people believe it or not. But biblical truth cannot be discovered and appreciated without thinking about what we read from the Bible.

“Come let us reason together says the LORD, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)

God is the originator of biblical truth. Truth is discovered when we are willing to discard any false notions about God learned from others. Truth gives us... 

“…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, and will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

Regarding the salvation of humanity, especially my friends and family, I reason with the Lord as follows.

"...our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)

December 1st - How Not to Pray

I am grateful for all the prayers that have been offered up for Robin, Lawson, Landry, Lindsay, Sue Ann and myself the past two weeks, including those who offered hem up from inner closet where no one may ever know.  God knows! Jesus told those who believed in Him how not to pray as well as how to pray…

"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:5-7)

NOTE: rewarded does not mean we always get what we ask for, but rewarded for going to God privately with our prayers. I think Paul prayed the following prayer for his friends in his "inner room" which he then put into a letter to them what he had prayed...

"...that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:14-19)

Here are some other simple prayers that are recorded in the Bible…

“Father forgive them…” (Luke 23:34)

“God, be merciful to me, the sinner.” (Luke 18:13)

“Come swiftly, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:21)

November 30th - Did the Rich Man Go to Hell?

Jesus said the following about his parables...

“And the disciples came and said to Him, Why do you speak to them in parables? Jesus answered them, to you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted…" (Matthew 13:10-11)

So, is the following an historic event or a parable?

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus…the time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.” (Luke 16:19-23)

A careful examination of the context beginning in Luke 14:7 shows me it is one in a series of parables, and therefore not a literal historic event. Everyone should be glad, for if it was a real event it would teach that rich people who receive good things in this life all go to hell, while the poor who receive bad things in this life go to heaven - in spite of the Cross, the Grace of God, or good works.

“So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony…” (Luke 16:24)

The context of the parable is the promises God has made to the nation of Israel, His chosen nation. The rich man represents the leaders who were rejecting Jesus as the Messiah, and the result would be that their political status would be taken from them, and their nation dispersed into the other nations where the "poor" would be cared for and the "rich" leaders would be in anguish. That literally happened to Israel!

For now we should concentrate on strengthening our faith, hope and love in the direct promises of God to people of all nations of the world. We should believe that the GRACE of God has brought salvation to all people.

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:17)

"...there is one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, 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)

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority." (Titus 2:11-15)

The rich man did not go to the hell of Greek Mythology - and neither will anyone else go there. All will be saved out of death by the GRACE and MERCY of God and become believers in Christ Jesus. They will come to a knowledge of the truth that all humanity is to be saved - the result of the death, entombment, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God. His blood justifies all (makes sinners righteous and saves them out of death).

"Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!" (Romans 5:9)

November 29th - God is at Peace with His Creation

“…there is one God and Father of ALL, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift…And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers…” (Ephesians 4:6-11)

The bible says that God is the Father of ALL and in us all. And that He gifted a few humans to do certain things in this age until ALL become believers and come to unity of the faith... 

”…for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we ALL come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12-13)

These few believers are made aware of their salvation and are the ambassadors for Christ during this age.

“...all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the MINISTRY of RECONCILIATION.” (1 Corinthians 5:18)

These gifted few are to tell the world that humanity has been reconciled to God...

“…that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

RECONCILIATION means that God and humanity are at peace with one another. In First and Second Corinthians the Greek word translated “reconciliation” and “reconciled” is “katallasso”. It has reference to God changing the way he looks at humanity as a result of the blood of Jesus. God is now at peace with humanity and therefore is “not imputing their trespasses to them”, the result of the shed blood of Jesus. 

NEVERTHELESS, it is a one-sided peace (God toward humanity) UNTIL each individual human makes peace with God. Those who do so in this age are the ambassadors of Christ. 

In Colossians we are told that all on the earth and all in the heavens will be reconciled to God…

“And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile  all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” (Colossians 1:20)

TWO SIDED PEACE is the destiny of all creatures who are now at enmity toward God! 

When created beings change their FALSE view of God as an angry God who in His wrath will torture them for their sins to the CORRECT view of a loving Father who will save them out of death, they will have peace toward God. They trust Him and love Him.

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were chosen to teach THIS TRUTH to others. Paul was the first to receive and minister this truth to the world…

“Now then, WE are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore YOU (humanity) on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God (be at peace). For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might BECOME the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

The salvation of all humanity is a done deal and is a free gift from God. All humanity will eventually be at peace with God because He has “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” so that the whole world could become the righteousness of God in CHRIST JESUS.

For this we all become eternally thankful!

November 28th - There is Power in the Blood

“…For His mercy lasts forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

The Lord’s mercy is said to last forever 26 times in Psalm 136. If so, what are we to do with the doctrine of eternal torment in hell, or eternal separation from God?

God has revealed Himself in Nature, as well as in the Bible. He deals with sin in perfect righteousness, not with cruel and unusual punishment.

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands...For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that humanity is without excuse." (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20)

The doctrine of eternal conscious torment is a “destructive heresy" "secretly" introduced by "false teachers"...

"...false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies..." (2 Peter 2:1)

Our loving and merciful Father God is just (right) in disciplining His sinful children - but has reconciled them to Himself through the blood of Christ Jesus as the Bible teaches...

“…and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself -- having made peace through the blood of His cross -- through Him, whether the things upon the earth, whether the things in the heavens.” (Colossians 1:20)

God "disciplines" His children along the way to His goal of reconciling all things to Himself. That discipline is just and in line with His Love, Grace, and Mercy.

"For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” (Hebrews 12:6)

What about the Satan...and some of you reading this might as well go outside and pick up a few choice stones because I am fixing to drive you over the edge. The Bible says God will reconcile "ALL things to Himself” which must include all “things upon the earth or the things IN THE HEAVENS”. That covers all of God's creation. So, even Satan and his followers will be reconciled to God by the blood of Christ Jesus.

The "blood of His cross" is far more powerful than the religions of humanity are willing to admit.

November 27th - Dead Man Walking

The phrase “dead man walking” refers to an inmate on death row on his way to be put to death. The Scripture speaks of humanity as having inherited the death sentence...

“...even as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all humanity.”(Romans 5:12)

All humans have been sentenced to death and so we are, in a sense, “dead men walking”…but there is good news!

“For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a man also, comes the resurrection of the dead...the free gift of God is eternal life.” (1 Corinthians 15:21; Romans 6:23)

Senator John James Ingalls of Kansas once said... 

“In the democracy of the dead all men at last are equal. There is neither rank nor station nor prerogative in the republic of the grave". 

I am convinced by the study of Scripture that all humanity will one day walk in newness of life – all equal in the eternal republic of the Kingdom of God.

“...we rely on the living God,Who is the Savior of all humanity...for even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be made alive...that God may be All in all.” (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:22-28)

Our lives are "hid together with Christ in God" - humans, even the worst of us,  are safe in Christ Jesus!

"Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died." 

(2 Corinthians 5:14)

"For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3)

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, that is superior to every frame of mind, shall be garrisoning your hearts and your apprehensions in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

Therefore, when death comes, or the snatching away, we will have the peace of God! What we believed in this life will not be debated - all will have come to a knowledge of the truth. Can't wait!

November 26th - Biblical Faith Pleases God

“…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Biblical "FAITH" is believing what God has said in the original languages of the Bible. He has classified all humanity as sinners...

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23-30)

Christ Jesus came into the world to save those sinners and they will be saved because that is the will of God.

“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wills all humanity to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time... 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 humanity, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.” (1 Timothy 1:15; 2:3-6; 4:9-11).

A few people believe what God says but most do not. Nevertheless, all will believe at the close of the ages because they will have been gloriously saved out of death by the grace of God...

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” (Titus 2:11-14)

I think having faith in what God says pleases Him. 

November 25th - Thanksgiving!

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Thanksgiving season is here again, and I am thankful to God for the peaceful confidence I have in what God has done for my family and friends. Just as there are pleasing physical fragrances that can be noticed by our physical senses, there are also pleasing spiritual fragrances. Most people attempt to put on this fragrance like cologne when they dress for church, but a person cannot put on this "sweet aroma". You either have it or you do not.

Those who do are rare and generally do not even realize they are projecting this wonderful aroma to those with whom they come in contact. I have met only a few of these people in my life. Most of them do not go to a church yet in some quiet place in their spirit they radiate their heavenly citizenship...the final destiny for all humanity.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

“If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” (1Corinthians15:42-50)

"For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:26)

I am thankful that it is the destiny of humanity to "triumph in Christ" and after being transformed into our final spiritual body of glory, we will manifest across the Universe the “sweet aroma” of His love, mercy, and grace throughout the ages to come.

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

November 24th - Did God Create Evil? Yep

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 8:18-19)

There is much suffering in this world. From the homeless in our country to the poor and starving in other parts of the world. Tender hearts are broken and their tears fall when they see such suffering. It all seems so futile and pointless. Why are they suffering?

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." (Romans 8:20-22)

The Greek word translated “hope” above is “helpidi” and does NOT mean hope as we understand the word 2000 years later. We say we hope our team wins, knowing that it might not. But the word “helpidi” has the idea of an assured outcome, therefore a confident expectation or the assurance that what is hoped for will come to pass.

In the above verses we are told that it is God who subjected His creation to futility and bondage to corruption....but in the "hope" (assurance) that our bondage to corruption is temporary, and that all creation is to be freed. It is upon this ASSURANCE that my salvation rests and allows me to love the God who “created evil”.

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

Some of our translations refuse to translate the Hebrew word above as “evil” and instead insert calamity, disaster, etc. But the Hebrew word is “ra” and is the same word translated evil in Genesis 2:17…

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eat thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

Why do theologians try to hide this fact from people by changing the meaning of the word evil when translating Isaiah 45:7? 

It is because these same men teach that hell was a real place God created to punish and torture evil men for all eternity. And if God created this evil knowing that most of humanity would suffer endlessly because of it, then what does that say about their GOD? 

But God is GOOD, and has a purpose for evil. Paul tells us plainly that God subjected His creation to evil “in hope (confident expectation) that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

"It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set our hope (confident expectation) on the living God, who is the Savior of all humanity, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

November 23rd - Grace Rules!

“The Law was given so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness, to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21)

What value is there to the Ten Commandments, and the rest of the Law given Moses if its purpose was to increase trespasses? Paul says it reveals just how sinful "all" people are...

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too…" (Romans 3:23, 29)

What did God do for these ungodly sinners?

"…at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him?...For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 5:6-8;6:23)

Paul says God saves sinners by His "grace" which demonstrates that the love of God far exceeds the sin  of sinners.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8)

All that humanity can do about our sin is to have faith that God's "grace" is greater than our sin, and wait for God to prove it when all sinners have been resurrected to receive "the free gift of eternal life"… 

“For as in Adam all die, even so, in Christ all will be made alive…The last enemy to be destroyed is death…so that God may be all in all…just as we have borne the likeness of the earthy man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man…the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ?” (1 Corinthians 15:20-58) 

Grace rules! It is greater than our sin. All will one day be thankful for that!

November 22nd - What Does Following Christ Mean?

“Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it…So then, none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions?"” (Luke 14:25-28)

To me this is a difficult passage of Scripture to comprehend. I have thought about it and here is my thoughts on what Jesus is saying to me...

“You Robert, are a sinner unlike me.  I am a unique, one of a kind, never to be cloned man who never sins. So, where I am going you are not qualified to come. And what I am going to do you are not qualified to do. I am going to abandon my Mom, brothers, sisters, and my earthly possessions to die on a cross - for you, a sinner. And doing so will save you. Why am I doing this? Because our Father God is gracious and merciful. He created you and loves you, and saving you is the right thing for Him to do. Count the cost of what I alone have done for you Robert, and realize you do not have the resources to save yourself or anyone else. So, lay down your cross and follow me to mine. I carried My cross to victory - for you and everyone else. And as you ponder what I have done, just say -THANK YOU!” (Robert's paraphrased version)

I no longer self-righteously claim to be a follower of Christ. I followed Christ to His cross where He saved me and my family, but that is as far as we can go for now. We must wait to go where He went after His death, entombment, and resurrection.

"Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times." (John 13:36-38)

I am no different than Peter. I deny Jesus from time to time in my thoughts and actions. Yet, I have placed my faith and hope in what Jesus did to save me and my family. To be honest, I often feel the same way about myself that Paul felt when he wrote...

"Trustworthy is the saying, and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst." (1 Timothy 1:15)

We sinners should pray for other sinners around us, like Paul encouraged his friend Timothy to do...

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people...that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."  (1 Timothy 2:1)

Happy Thanksgiving Season!