They both..

The Way, The Truth, The Light cannot be broken. I think this says it all.

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

That’s how God tells us to study our Bible. That sounded weird to me when I first noticed it in 2 Timothy 2:15 but once I got over the way I had been told to read my Bible which had me in the jacked up confused mess I was back a few years ago it all began to make sense. You ever worked a puzzle with a bunch of pieces, like one of those 1,000 pieces (but not the ones of chocolate I know that sucker is gonna be used to torment people in the lake of fire it’s absolutely cray-cray all brown you can’t sort it at all) but a normal big puzzle you sort by color, that’s kinda what that verse did for me. It showed me how to sort out my Bible God’s way not man’s. Instead of thinking it was all to, for and about me as a member of the body of Christ from “In the beginning God” in Genesis 1:1 to “Amen” in Revelation 22:21, now I see the distinctions and the differences that made all the confusing parts confusing when I tried to mash em up and together. They didn’t go together so it kinda ended up looking like your play dough as a kid when you used the play dough factory, all the colors sorta mixed together to make this putrid brown color but not mixed too cause you could still see all the colors sorta, that’s what Christendom teaches as how to study your Bible and it’s wrong. See for yourselves that God says to rightly divide the word of truth (and no He didn’t say handle if you’re reading something other than the KJB, it’s divide – those two words have very different meanings and it completely changes the verse to use handle.)

Why would we need to divide the Truth you ask, because God says too first of all. Secondly because there’s divisions in Scripture that if ignored today then you frustrate grace and are unfruitful members of Christ’s Body at best and at worst you’re lost as a golf ball in high weeds and don’t even realize it because you’re trusting in something other than the faith and shed blood of Christ alone to save you! I know that’s a bold statement but it is said with much love and concern for you all and besides it’s what God says.

Okay so let’s look at how we rightly divide: it comes from two passages in Paul’s epistles.

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”  (Ephesians 2:11-12)

Notice the bold phrase “time past” and how it says Gentiles were without Christ being strangers of the covenants and promises of Israel; having no hope cause they were without God. That’s important.

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”  (Ephesians 2:13)

“But now ” we Gentile’s are made nigh to God by Christ’s blood. That is on glorious distinction and change people!

“That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”  (Ephesians 2:7)

And there’s another division called ages to come. These three make up the basic timeline of the history of man and the different parts of the Bible fit in them as the chart below shows. I plan on teaching this much more in-depth in the coming weeks on Friday’s but in a nutshell it boils down to this:

In times past God chose one nation of people to be His special people and separated them from the rest of the nations by the law, promises, covenants and a physical sign – circumcision, all of which Paul referred to as the middle wall of partition. From Abraham until Moses this wall was being erected and the giving of the Law was the final stones – Israel was a nation separated from the nations through the Old Testament (yes they were dispersed among them periodically but they remained separated by the law and circumcision) and through the Gospel accounts of Jesus earthly ministry into the mid Acts stoning of Stephen when they fell and were put in a time out of sorts, a long one. See, in time past salvation was to come through Israel to the world in the form of the kingdom of heaven but now since Israel rejected Christ and the kingdom God stooped dealing with Israel and instead brought salvation to the world without them by making them just part of the nations again and bringing grace to the world through faith alone in the shed blood of Christ. That’s the only way to be saved today is by God’s grace through faith, trying to follow anything from Israel’s program won’t work, because it required works to show faith and to continue to do works to obtain eventual salvation. That’s not what God wants us to do today though, today we just have to belief the Gospel of Christ’s death burial and resurrection and we are made a member of the body of Christ. That’s it. Course the time out for Israel will end on day, possibly very soon as it has been almost 2,000 years now, and that’ll happen after we, the Body of Christ are caught up with him to heaven and the prophetic program of Israel will pick back up. The pause will be over, the wall will go back up and the kingdom of heaven headed by Christ will come on earth after the completion of Daniel’s 70th week, the Lord’s day which ushers in the millennium (the kingdom) the ages to come. Study this chart and be ready to dig in next Friday.

Eternally gripped in His glorious grace,

Miranda

The Gap

I shared the brief video on this a couple nights ago and said get ready as I was gonna get into the meat of this somewhat misunderstood and misrepresented gap that explains precisely why God is forming the Body of Christ and sheds much light on who Satan is and what his agenda is. Before I start though let me be 100% clear on something, I mean crystal okay.

I am not an evolutionist, never have been (even before I got saved that seemed like a ginormous pill to swallow and I didn’t buy it), and I never will be. I am a complete creationist – I believe in the beginning God and I believe our earth of today was created in six literal 24 hour days. I am not “trying to accommodate the evolutionary ages” as Henry Morris and other opponents of the gap like to falsely claim of all who see the gap. The gap theory as they call it was not developed in the 1800’s to give the great ages evolution demands.

Macro evolution, which is what they are referring to by the term evolution, is impossible no matter how much time is allowed. Nothing didn’t explode into rocks that got rained on and made soup which somehow came alive and eventually became the complex creatures God created.

“First I was tadpole long and thin, then I was a frog for with my tail tucked in, then I was a monkey swinging from a tree, now I’m a doctor with a PhD.”

Is never gonna be anything more than a ridiculous fairytale no matter how much scientists so called repeat it. So let’s look at a brief rundown of the history of the gap so you won’t be led astray by the lies of those who don’t understand God’s Word rightly divided and rely on modern perversions and scholars so called to oppose it (I am talking about the creationists like Morris and the evolutionists here!)

The going story is that a preacher from the 1800’s, Chalmers (1780-1847), invented the gap as a compromise that accommodated Darwin’s theory of evolution. I’m gonna call bunko on that. Darwin wrote his theory in 1859, twelve years AFTER Chalmer’s died. The gap couldn’t possibly have been invented to support Darwin’s theory. Besides that rather too obvious to ignore truth there’s the fact that Chalmer’s was NOT an evolutionist, wasn’t the first to teach the gap (in fact he credits it to Episcoupis who lived from 1583-1643), and believed in the six 24 hour days of Genesis 1. Well just read what Chalmers says about gap creationism and Genesis 1:1

“My own opinion, as published in 1814, is that it forms no part of the first day but refers to a period of indefinite antiquity when God created the worlds out of nothing. The commencement of the first day’s work I hold to be the moving of God’s Spirit upon the face of the waters.”

Pember (1837-1910), a Plymouth Brethern preacher taught the gap in his book “Earth’s Earliest Ages”; as did Bullinger, Scofield, Larkin and pretty much every dispensational author taught the gap.

I say all this not to say I agree with these men or that it is their belief in the gap that influences my belief in it, as I do not base my views on any issue on the opinions and ideas of men but solely on God’s Word. I first came to see the gap through my studies of God’s Word alone, I mention them only to show that people do see it.

Scripture doesn’t say precisely how old the earth is and creationists who dogmatically insist it is 6,000 years old make a mistake as they reject outright several verses of the Bible that show the gap. God didn’t say when He originally created the earth in Genesis 1:1 and thus we can’t know the time elapsed between 1:1 and 1:2 when it’s reconstruction began. Nor is the time really the important issue. The real issue is why was it reconstructed?

Now let me just make one observation here. I know we like to think we are the end all and be all of everything but seriously what do you think God was doing before he made man about 6,000 years ago? Just sitting up there somewhere twiddling His thumbs and thinking “Hmmm, maybe we should do something.” Trust me our infinite and eternal God was not just doing nothing for eternity past, ok.

Opponents of the gap try to claim there is no Biblical support for it, no Scriptural reason to believe there is a gap. They try to say we are following man and not the Bible but that couldn’t be farther from the truth as I am about to show with just 10 of the numerous verses that point to the gap like flashing neon arrows.

1. Paul referred to Genesis 1:2-4 as a type of salvation in the verses below:

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  (2 Corinthians 4:6)

Man was created, then ruined by sin, but when we believe on Christ we are regenerated.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  (Ephesians 2:10)

God used His Spirit and His Word to bring us out of darkness into light!

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”  (Acts 26:18)

The gap gives us a depiction of a fallen ruined creation succeeding it’s ruined past and being reborn a new creature.

2. There has been rebellion against God in both heaven before the world began and earth since it began. This is evident by God’s two-fold purpose to restore all things both heavenly and earthly back to His government.

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”  (Colossians 1:16)

God’s purpose to establish His kingdom on earth has to do do with Israel and has been fore told by His prophets since the world began.

“Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”  (Acts 3:21)

The mystery of the Body of Christ has to with the heavens however and was a secret hidden in God until revealed by the risen glorified Christ to Paul.

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”  (2 Timothy 1:9)

The Body of Christ is God’s response to the rebellion among the heavenly host in eternity past. It is His answer to the challenge of Lucifer at his fall before the world began. We know that Angles existed when God laid the foundations of the earth and set the boundaries of the seas as we learn in Job 38:1-11 (for the sake of space I’ll let you read that on your own). If God had created the angels during the first six days of which we are given so much detail why are they left out of the record? Because they were made before day one even began in Genesis 1:3, they were created in Genesis 1:1 in eternity past and that is why they rejoiced at the words “Let there be Light”! Adam was placed in the very area where God’s city and throne once stood on the original earth. That made Lucifer pretty mad and he set about his diabolical plan to usurp the dominion God gave Adam.

3. Every verses in Genesis 1 after 1:1 begins with “And” thus always moving the narrative forward, never referring to the previous verse. Verse 2 is not a description of verse 1 which ends with a period but is the next step. The descriptive language of 1:2 matches other verses that clearly speak of judgement.

“I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.”  (Jeremiah 4:23)

How in this only other time the phrase “without form, and void” is used in Scripture did it get in this ruined condition? In Jeremiah 4:26 we see the answer.

“I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.”  (Jeremiah 4:26)

It is clear that Jeremiah is talking about a yet future judgement when we read the full passage, but by comparing Scripture with Scripture as taught in 1 Corinthians 2:13 we can see that the earth becomes “without form and void” as the result of God’s judgement. Further emphasizing this are the words “deep” and “darkness”which are often associated with judgement in the Bible. Study it out and you’ll see.

4. God just outright said He didn’t create the earth in vain.

“For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.”  (Isaiah 45:18)

God doesn’t create in stages; it doesn’t say he created the beasts and they were without form and void. To suggest He spoke the earth that way insults and doubts His

“…his work is perfect:…”  (Deuteronomy 32:4)

5. Opponents say that by believing there is a gap we are reading something into the passage that is not there. Come on, you guys know me well enough by now to know that is not true. I am a literalist through and through, I don’t spiritualize, allegorize or add to Scripture at all. I read the words and let them say what they say in the plain, normal reading of it. Besides there are other gaps in the Bible and they don’t mind those gaps. Take this passage in Daniel:

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”  (Daniel 9:26-27)

Big ole gapping gap there if we cross reference it – Jesus died almost 2,000 years ago but that semicolon has been going on pretty long now. There are gaps and just because God doesn’t spell out plainly why judgement occurred in Genesis 1 in no way implies it didn’t occur. We must always compare scripture with scripture in order to gain a full spiritual understanding of God’s plan and purpose. That’s why we are told to do so in verses such as:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”  (2 Peter 1:20)

6. “Created” does not mean the same thing as “made”. Created means to bring into existence out of nothing while made means to use pre-existing materials to form something. “Created” is only used twice in the six days while “made” is used often even in the same passage as “created” thus further emphasizing the difference in meaning as they are used about different aspects of the same subject. God created mans soul when He created Him in His image but he made man’s body from the dust of the ground. He created the sea life also but the plant life was “brought forth” out of the earth from what was already there.

7. “Replenish the earth” was the command given to Adam in the garden as well as to Noah after the Flood in Genesis 9:1. Adam was a son of God just as the Angels arenas it was sons of God, Angels, on the earth before Adam, the original earth that is. Corrupt translations of the Bible use the word “fill” rather than “replenish” in Genesis 1:28.

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”  (Genesis 1:28)

But there is a big difference between the word “fill” which is what God used in reference to the sea life (side note: there wasn’t any sea on the original earth in eternity past just as Revelation 21:1 tells us there won’t be one on the new earth in eternity future; and the word “replenish” which means it was already filled once and is being refilled again.

8. The Reginald earth’s destruction by water is referenced in this passage:

“And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:”  (2 Peter 3:4-6)

Opponents of the gap try to say that it’s talking about the Flood of Noah’s day but that doesn’t make sense. The world didn’t”perish” in Noah’s flood, granted a lot of people and animals did but eight people and a whole bunch of animals didn’t perish, and for that matter the earth was just covered in water it didn’t have to be completely reformed! In verse 6 of this passage Peter is speaking of “the beginning of creation” as the context shows by reading verse 4. The past judgement Peter is speaking of corresponds to the future judgement when God will once again destroy the heavens and earth so that he can make a new heaven and earth as verses 8-13 show (you can read those yourselves for space sake, this is getting very long.). It bears noting that the heavens were not destroyed in Noah’s flood either.

9. The connection between history and prophecy points to the gap.

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”  (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

There is a correspondence between how the Bible opens and closes in Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 21:1.

We know there is a future rebellion of Satan that will culminate in the destruction of this earth and a new one coming down from heaven as we see in Revelation 20:7-21:1. And so it was in eternity past when Lucifer fell. Earth is the center of the universe (not our solar system) and God will put His city and throne back in it’s rightful place on day in the future, where it once was in eternity past. Thus eternity future corresponds perfectly with eternity past.

10. Gap opponents say that there was no sin or death before Adam sinned but think about that story for a minute. Satan and Eve both sinned before Adam did, (don’t believe me read this post. ). They use this as a proof text:

Without considering that this verse is only talking about the world of mankind. Uhm, Satan’s master plan. Some even say that pointing out the obvious and seeing the gap that is clearly there undermines the gospel! The claim is that if Lucifer fell before Genesis 2:3 then God could not have said that everything He made was good in 1:31. Not true. The first thing God says is good is Light in verse 4, but Lucifer was made and fell between verses 1 and 2. God’s statement in verses 31 is limited to what He had just made in the previous six day from Genesis 1:3-30. He’s talking about this earth and it’s solar system; Satan’s habitation however was not on this earth but is in heaven as the following verses show:

“Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.”  (Job 15:15)

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”  (Ephesians 2:2)

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”  (Revelation 12:7-9)

God did not call the second heaven, what we call space, good in 1:8!

“And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”  (Genesis 1:8)

I know this was a very long post on the gap but I think it is very clear that the Bible tells us there is a gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. But don’t take my word for it study it out. Search the Scriptures and see, that’s what I do and it never disappoints me but instead I grow in my walk with God daily as I read and hear what He is teaching me through His Word. In a day or so I will cover the Scriptural narrative of Lucifer’s fall but I think this was plenty for one day. As alway my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ may you rest secure eternally gripped in His glorious grace.

Glorious Grace

I have a request of all that read this message, I want you to read the following list of verses and ponder in your heart the glorious riches of the grace of God and how very deeply He loves you! So much that while you were yet a sinner Christ died for you a brutal horrific death that was meant for you, your sins nailed him there. Then he was buried to take your sins away, He descended to the very depths of hell and left them all their – your past, present and future sins (after all they were all future when He died) before crossing the divide across which the rich man had gazed longingly as he suffered eternal torment and agony in that very hell to Abraham’s bosom, paradise and emptied it of the saints waiting patiently for their Lord to one day come. Then the third day He rose from the grave victoriously justifying all who believe in Him for all eternity before God thus our salvation is solely by His glorious grace a free gift we don’t deserve and we can never do anything to earn but God gives us from the rich depths of His love.

Bible Study the Bible Way

I’ve had numerous conversations of late about a topic that is so critical and important to a believers walk with Christ, yet is ignored by the vast majority of people today it seems, or if they do give it some attention it isn’t proper attention according to God’s instructions instead they question and critique, allegorize and sanitize, chop it up and blend it smooth till it’s as bland and flavorless as plain yogurt. (I got that stuff once by mistake, good grief that is the most flavorless strange stuff, bleh!). That’s not how God says to do it though and believe me He gives us very specific and detailed instructions in His Word on how to study it to get the most from it, to be properly edifies and a fruitful member of the body of Christ. So let’s look at how to study the Bible the Bible way.

First get the right Bible, ok. All Scripture is given by God and preserved for us today, not in the originals only as many want to claim since those are long since gone back to dust but in copies and a translation for each language group. This is proven in Scripture:

“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”  (Psalms 12:6-7)

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”  (2 Timothy 3:15-16)

The Words of the Lord are pure words, and God will keep them through all generations for ever. It’s obvious that Timothy was being taught the Old Testament Scriptures by his mom and grandma and trust me they weren’t originals, they were copies. So it’s a given that God’s Word has been preserved in the English language and I can study it to know Him and walk ever closer to Him. But as I said I have to have the right Bible one that actually does preserve the Words of God. So in English that’s the King James Bible. Don’t believe me, think just any version will do or the KJV is too antiquated and hard to read. Hate to burst your bubble but the KJV reads at a 5th grade level, 80% of the words are one syllable and in it every word God wanted us to have is included and all the ones he didn’t left out. I won’t go into this fully but you can read much more about why I stand firm that the King James Bible is the only Bible in the English language and all versions since it are Satanic perversions meant to deceive and weaken the body of Christ in The Westcott and Hort Slasher Fest series. If you don’t have a King James Bible you can use Blue Letter Bible online or contact me for other options.

Once you have your Bible then you need to remember to read it plainly, literally just let it say what it says and don’t go trying to make like the plain yogurt okay – it’s like your favorite rich creamy flavor already without any help from you (cherry, it’s like black cherry.)

Now get busy to study the Bible the Bible way.

Search the Bible to see if what the preacher, minister, priest, bishop, friend, neighbor, spouse has told you is true. Search it to see if the traditions or what you have always thought was true is true.

That is the one verse in the Bible that uses the word study (meaning study God’s Word) and it tells you just how to do it; rightly divide it. Now if you didn’t believe me about the King James and are still using one of the translations that came after it then this verse is gonna be all jacked up. In the modern translations it says some garbage about properly handling the Word but folks that is not even close to rightly divide the Word of Truth.

Rightly Dividing is when you look at who a passage is written to and by, when they wrote it and why. See all Scripture is for you but it ain’t all about or to you! Not every piece of mail that comes to your house is to you is it, Bible’s no different. You have to pay attention to Paul’s epistles that are the instructions from the glorified risen Christ to us today. Christ during his earthly ministry and the Twelve apostles as well as John the Baptist preached what is called the Kingdom Gospel only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, part of the prophecy program spoken of since the world began; Paul however,

as the apostle to the Gentiles after Israel rejected their Messiah and thus fell at the stoning of Stephen when God put them in time out and paused their prophetic program, was given the revelation of the mystery of the grace of God which God had hidden in Himself since BEFORE the world began. The prophetic program of Israel is found in the books of the old Testament and the Gospels, which Paul refers to as “times past”, Acts acts as a bridge between the prophetic Kingdom program and the mystery program revealed to Paul- it documents Israel’s rejection of Christ and subsequent fall as Paul, the chief of sinners, is saved and his ministry of the gospel of God’s grace in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ replaces the kingdom gospel.

This age of grace or mystery hid in God is referred to as “but now” by Paul and will continue until the saints of today which make up what is referred to as the Body of Christ is caught up in the air at its close in the event commonly referred to as the rapture. (And no the body of Christ is not the bride as the majority of church like to teach, the bride is the New Jerusalem which is a Jewish city read Revelation 21 and pay attention to the details. ). You won’t find the body of Christ so much as hinted at anywhere in the Old Testament or Gospels, Jesus didn’t speak of it at anytime during His earth ministry and nary a prophet one had any inkling it was coming- they saw the cross or at least should have but the mystery of the age of grace was just that a mystery. You can only find the body of Christ Christ in Paul’s epistles Romans through Philemon, that’s the books written to us today where we are to go for all our doctrines and to understand how God is dealing with man today (He deals with man differently throughout time – take Adam, Noah, Abraham and the good rules each had vegetarian, anything goes, by by bacon.).

So far we have times past which is Israel’s prophetic kingdom program currently on pause while God forms the body of Christ in this current dispensation of grace which will end one day, possibly very soon, and the “ages to come ” will kick in after the body of Christ is caught up. Basically they encompass the fulfillment of Israel’s prophetic kingdom program with Daniels 70th week and the millennium reign of Christ on earth then eternity! The instructions for those Jewish believers who will go through what is often called the Tribulation, Daniels 70th week, and on into the kingdom of heaven established under Christ as he takes his rightful place on the throne of David are found in the books of Hebrews through Revelation.

Now I just gave you more sound Bible teaching in less than five minutes than you’ll get in 50 years in any non-rightly dividing church. Just keep the timeline in mind as you study: times past – prophecy- Israel; but now – mystery- body of Christ; ages to come – prophecy- Israel.

You have to go to Paul for today’s gospel and for the edification of the believers in this age.

Now down to the last two main principles of Biblical Bible Study.

Isaiah 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Proverbs 27:17  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

These two kinda go hand in hand and both deal with some common study aides built right into Scripture for us. You don’t need all those books about the Bible: stop wasting money reading man’s opinion of God’s Word, read God’s word yourself and get His opinion. All you need is a Bible, possibly a concordance or Bible software (Blue Letter Bible works well), and to these two simple rules:

Rule of first mention: use this to help define a word in its biblical use, the meaning or usage given to word the first time its used tells us what God thinks of a word or topic.

Rule of subsequent narrative: Scripture is written in such a way that we must study it to get the most out of it, work or effort put forth to fully understand a passage or event makes it a treasure and is how God wanted the Bible written.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”  (2 Peter 1:20)

I realize I am giving you a lot of information here but it’s kind of deliberate and is absolutely necessary. I am challenging you to follow Acts 17:11 and 2 Timothy 2:15 to see if what I say here is true. Study it out, look at all the verses, get in the Bible and binge like it’s your favorite Netflix show!

Study my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ to show thyself approved before God, be workmen who need not be ashamed.

What the Lost Say: 6.) When I Choose To Believe Then I’m Saved Forever?

Yes! Absolutely! As soon as you believe the truth of the gospel of the grace of God, God keeps His Word and gives you the gift of eternal life.

Immediately, in that very instant, you are washed of your sins, sanctified (set apart as holy) unto God, and justified or declared righteous by God.

1 Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

In that moment you are born again, born into God’s family, regenerated, renewed by God’s Holy Spirit, made a new creature in Christ Jesus!

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

We are given the Spirit of life the instant of belief. The Holy Spirit of God indwells every believer and we then possess eternal life by His permanent abiding presence in us; eternal life that is not just future but a present possession.

Romans 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

That means that the Holy Spirit indwells believers as soon as they believe, making them sons of God and sealing them until the day of redemption, that’s the catching away of the believers the day Christ comes to take His purchased possession home to glory! Bodily, physically, finally!

Ephesians 1:12-14  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.  [13]  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  [14]  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Galatians 4:4-7  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,  [5]  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  [6]  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  [7]  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Holy Spirit is also called “the Earnest” meaning a down payment. By the Holy Spirit’s indwelling we have been given a down payment of eternal life promised by God. This is said to be our sealing, the seal of God’s ownership until the day of redemption when he shall take us physically unto Himself forever in the resurrection.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.  [21]  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;  [22]  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Once we believe we are saved eternally because this is what God has promised and He is always faithful to keep His Word. After all, God cannot lie, so we have the gift of eternal life, life without end, with Him forever! That’s what we get the very instant we believe!

2 Timothy 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2 Timothy 2:11-13  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  [12]  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  [13]  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Brothers and sisters in Christ I have spent many days now looking at some of the questions that lost people ask us, questions it behooves us to be prepared to answer. I pray that you have gleaned a few nuggets to apply in your dealings with those who aren’t believers yet. Please share truth with those you encounter, the world is lost and dying on a swift slide straight to Hell! You needed look far to find a lost soul in desperate need of the good news of the gospel of the grace of God: family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, even the telemarketers, just share grace with all you meet .

As always my beloved brethren may you be eternally gripped in His glorious grace!

When the Lost Say: 2.) Ok, So I’m Not Perfect, So What?

Last night we began looking at the most common responses lost people give when approached by a believer witnessing to them. We began with the all too common belief that if you’re a good person you don’t need to be saved, tonight we move to the admission of sin but denial of the penalty for that sin with “Ok, so I’m not perfect, so what?”

Breaking just one of God’s laws it disobeying Him even one little time is a sin and offense to God, an offense He as a Holy and just judge must condemn to face the wage of sin, His wrath!

Since God hates sin and can’t even dwell in the presence of sin, the sinner must be forever separated from Him, cast out of His presence eternally.

Being condemned under wrath and cast out of God’s presence doesn’t end one’s existence though. Nope, not a chance. Instead this separation speaks of death in the spiritual sense. Death is a separation, a departing from life.” In physical death our soul and spirit separate or depart from our body, leaving it a lifeless dead husk. Spiritual death however is to be eternally cast out from God’s presence, separated from Him forever. Existence apart from our Creator our Father from God forever and ever is eternal death and eternal damnation.

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”  (Ezekiel 18:4)

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  (Revelation 20:14-15)

To die without God’s salvation is to loose your soul unto hell’s flames when your body dies.

At the end of time, in eternity future, deaths and hell will be cast into eternal torment in the lake of fire.

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”  (Revelation 14:10-11)

“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”  (Revelation 20:13-15)

Folks if you die lost you will literally burn for all eternity! That thought terrifies me for you, my own soul aches at the thought of even one of you precious ones being enemies to and separated from God forever and ever. If my human heart breaks so for you how much more must God’s? I’ll tell you how much more. So much more that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on Calvary’s cross for the forgiveness of your sins, he was buried to remove all of them past present and future for all eternity and rose alive the third day for your justification! Believe that and you will be saved and the penalty you deserve for your sin against God will be covered, the debt paid by the precious blood of Christ.

Dying Exhortation

Brothers and sisters in Christ let each of us read and study this letter from Paul to Timothy as it describes where we are today in the faith. Apostasy bounds on all sides, people say they are Christians but they live like idolatrous heathens. And I am not talking about the carnal Christians still living in the flesh but those who say they are members of the body of Christ but choose to do what is right in man’s eyes their own eyes not God’s! They reject His instructions for today and turn instead to the instructions he gave to another time, another group His chosen nation Israel in the prophetic program. They claim promises, signs, ceremonies and feasts that they don’t even understand because they mix them up with the plan for today. They institute their own traditions and rituals such as the pagan idolatrous ritual of communion. This is particularly vile among Catholicism as they openly claim they are drinking the literal blood of Christ which God specifically forbids numerous times, Protestants just water it down a bit and say it is only symbolic but if a person they deem unsaved or unworthy partakes you see what they really believe, that they are damning themselves. I do know the passage they use to claim this and they twist it worse than a wrung our dishcloth! It’s talking about our conscience smiting us, conviction in a specific situation where the Corinthians were slopping like greedy hogs at church meals some eating so much others went hungry, others drunk and staggering and trying to call this disgusting debacle the Lords Supper. I have studied this extensively and what we call communion, the Nazarene nibble, jigger jive and crackers, etc. in Christendom is a fraud and fake. Christ didn’t mean for some twisted ritual to start at that last meal – instead He told them to simply remember his death every time they ate bread and drank wine , basically every time they ate a meal or at the minimum a supper – they had bread and wine at pretty much every meal. That means we should be remembering Jesus death and all we have because of who He was and what He did for us, something the twelve at that meal couldn’t fully understand at that time, but we in the age of grace can! My point is this open your eyes take a good look around and heed Paul’s instructions for this day, then as Paul instructed Timothy let’s go out and fight a good fight and share Christ with the lost and dying world!

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. ”  (2 Timothy 1:1-4:22)

The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.

Water Baptism- A Bad Testimony

Most of Christendom today claims some form of water baptism for believers, either as a means of salvation or a public testimony of salvation, however there is no scriptural support for either position in this dispensation of the age of grace. I want to deal tonight only with the later issue that of public testimony for I have shown in the past how water baptism has no role in our salvation and is actually contrary to the baptism Paul taught us for today – baptism by the Holy Spirit into Christ, nary a drop or dunking required.

Those who hold with water baptism as a public testimony, either by immersion or sprinkling, often refer to the baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch by Philip as our example for today even though the Pentecostal kingdom program was still in force at that time, not the mystery program of today. At that point there had not been even the slightest hint of the formation of the body of Christ, nor could there be for it hadn’t been revealed to Paul by Christ yet. Paul was still very busy persecuting the little flock of Jesus’ believers. Instead Philip and the Eunuch were operating under the earthly command of Jesus of Mark 16:16, the kingdom gospel.

Let’s take a look at the account of the Eunuch’s baptism in detail as we see that it is even a poor argument for a public testimony.

“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.”  (Acts 8:36-40)

Nowhere in the account do we see that there was a crowd of witnesses nor even more than Philip, the eunuch and apparently a driver as the eunuch commands the chariot to stand still. One witness hardly qualifies for a public testimony so if there were more people present why are t we told of them in the account. If this baptism were recorded to show a public testimony wouldn’t the Holy Spirit have made certain to mention the witnesses? After all when we read the following account of Paul and Silas in prison it is clear they had witnesses.

Paul and Silas gave very effective testimony as they were heard, very Scriptural testimony first to God unto salvation then to man.

Nowhere do we see Paul telling us to go get dunked, sprinkled, or wet in any way shape or form for salvation. Quite the contrary as he proclaims in 1 Corinthians:

Every thing we as believers do is a testimony either good or bad. Going to a bible believing Bible teaching church or the latest blockbuster film is a testimony. Staggering down the street is a testimony. Holding a bible study in our homes or in public is a testimony. Holding a rosary while praying “hail Mary’s” is a testimony. And to be sure the water baptism of believers today is a testimony – a bad one. It is a reflection on the finished work of Christ on the cross, a confession on the believers part of a lack of appreciation for who they are in Christ.

Adding to the program of God’s Grace of salvation through faith alone what was once required but is now set aside is always a bad testimony!

The Unpardonable Sin, Ain’t What You Think It Is

The unpardonable sin, it’s one of those confusing topics that no one seems to agree upon. So many ideas of what it means, innumerable people have been tormented by the thought that they committed the unpardonable sin. Bible teachers by and large can’t tell their listeners what it means or is much less reassure them that they most definitely have not committed it… Well I’m jumping ahead of myself here let’s look at what Christ Jesus had to say about it and then I’ll show you how a believer today need not worry they have committed it.

Matthew 12:31-32  Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  [32]  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Blasphemy of the Holy Ghost is the unpardonable sin here spoken of, not the myriad of sins or actions that preachers and teachers claim it is. The verse is very clear what sin can not be forgiven- blasphemy of the Holy Ghost. All manner of sin and blasphemy even speaking against God or Christ is forgiven but speaking or blaspheming the Holy Ghost will never be forgiven men either in this age or the one to come.

It’s important to take note of the fact that Jesus was speaking to the Jewish Pharisees when he gave this warning. A warning it would have done them well to heed but alas they didn’t do so. See Christ had the coming of the Holy Spirit in view. He was not by any means saying the Holy Spirit is a more important member of the Trinity than the Holy Father or Holy Son, just simply that the coming of the Holy Spirit to plead with Israel all three members of the Trinity would have made an earnest attempt to bring the nation of Israel to repentance and thus salvation.

Israel had resisted the Father all through the Old Testament so He sent the Son. The Son who walked and talked among them – Emmanuel “God with us” – teaching and laboring in their midst only to be rejected as well. Now the Son was to send the Holy Ghost, the Spirit, and Israel would have one last chance.

The Father, The Son, The Spirit. Three in one, Three chances, three rejections. It’s something how God loves numbers. For instance in Scripture seven speaks of perfection while three speaks of completeness. God himself is a Trinity, a triune being made up of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In fact the number three is stamped through out His creation. Why just look at us, we are made of body, soul, and spirit. The universe structure bears the number as well being made of time, space and matter. Each of which is three fold as well. Time: past, present, and future. Space: length, breadth, and height. Matter: energy, motion, and phenomena. Scripture bears this out by explaining when dealing with the universe:

Philippians 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Even in general society we see the rule of three over and over: three point sermons; three day grace period in business; the auctioneers call of going, going, gone or First! Second! – Third, last call!. In sports we have three strikes to an out and three outs to an inning, three cheers, hip hip hooray! Even the start of a race with ready, set, go! bears this out.

Even in parenting you see the the rule of three, our son has often heard the classic “Don’t make me tell you a third time!” And thus when Christ warns the nation of Israel that sin and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was unpardonable it was simply because the Holy Spirit was soon to descend and give them there third and final chance to repent.

A chance they blew royally! Even after all their sin and blasphemy against God the Father, The Old Testament is filled with references to their idolatry and whoredoms against God. Then they sinned and blasphemed against the Son going so far as to murder Him. Yet God loves them so much, cherished and treasured His chosen people, He gives them one gift final chance. He had Jesus send the Holy Spirit down working among them in such mighty works and miracles, confronting them with such overwhelming proof of our Lord’s kingdom rights that their continued rejection and rebellion against Him was completely inexcusable and unpardonable.

In fact their rebellion and rejection was so complete that Stephen, as he gave the greatest first and sadly his last sermon ever preached, hits them with this scathingly accurate accusation:

Acts 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Israel as a nation committed the unpardonable sin of blasphemy or rejection of the Holy Ghost. They turned from God’s love and damned themselves to a lake of fire for all eternity.

Now does that sound like something that could happen to a believer during the age of grace! No way! It is true that a sinner who dies in unbelief dies with their sins unpardoned, but not because one of them was unpardonable. Someone today who flat out does precisely as Israel did and literally blasphemes all three I suppose would be guilty if it but a believer already saved and sealed in the body of Christ never can. Just read the following verses for assurance of this truth.

Romans 5:20-21  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:  [21]  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.