So if the goodness of God would ever be manifested to us, it would be supremely good that nobody on earth would've ever considered it first; for the love of God is heavenly, beyond human thought; we wouldn't be able to conjure up the thought of it, for it wouldn't be of us. I know the things which are from me: they are sinful, they are no good; I am ashamed of them. If God would reveal His love to us, I would know it is not from mankind, for it would be good; and I know goodness does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. The love of God is above, but I am below. I know what is in man, for I am a man; I see the world and what is in it, and I am a man of this world. But God's love is not earthly, it's heavenly; the love that we know says, "You love me, so I love you; if you hate me, then I hate you." But the love from above is above all, beyond human thought, beyond human morals, beyond human imagination. For our mind is sinful, how can we think of anything good? The depths of our heart utter the depths of hell; but the Word of God speaks of God's thoughts; as He says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) So my earthly love says, "My enemy is my enemy, why should I love him?" But the love of God says, “They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. And this was written by David, a man after God's own heart. The love I first have is toward myself, for I love myself and care for myself. Who do I love more than myself? But the love of God says, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18:33) For the love of God in Jesus Christ died instead of you. Furthermore in my earthly love, I may give a gift to a man, but only if he is family; to a stranger, how much of myself will I spend for him? But the love of God gave the gift of life, even eternal life, which cannot be measured nor counted. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” (John 3:16) For Christ Jesus died, giving up His whole self; He did not give up only a little bit of Himself, but His whole soul; as it says, "To the bereavement of My soul." (Psalms 35:11) And was it for the friends of God? No, but while we were enemies of God in thought and in deed; for Jesus died even for His enemies: to reconcile us to God. Jesus Christ first loved us even to death, even death on a cross. If this is the love He shows to His enemies, what kind of love do you suppose He would show His friends who obey Him? We were once separate from the commonwealth of Israel; and us Gentiles were like creatures in the depths of the ocean to God; creatures in which men look at and say, "What is it?" Yet God loved the strange thing and brought it near unto Himself; “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household.” (Ephesians 2:19)
Furthermore, the love of men is written about: “The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.” (Lamentations 4:10) But the love of Christ says, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And the love of man says, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" (Matthew 19:3) But the love of God says, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes." (Hosea 3:1) And the love of man says, "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!" (Isaiah 65:5) But the love of Christ says, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." (Hebrews 10:9) And He came down from heaven. And the love of man says, "Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight." So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.” (Genesis 16:6) But the love of God says, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” (John 13:14) And the love of the LORD God says, "Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15) And then it says, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU." (Hebrews 13:5) Furthermore, the love of man is written about: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24) For the love of man first hates his father and his mother to be joined to his wife. But the love of Christ says, “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.” So in view of His love, man hates even his wife, and yes, his own soul, for the sake of Christ. For "The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17) For when the love of God in Christ Jesus is measured up against our own love: how cannot our natural love look like hatred in His sight? “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.” (Psalms 103:11) For "His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Psalm 136) For the love of God is not from earth; it is beyond the heavens. And so, “We love, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) And this is His heavenly love towards those who fear Him. And “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.” (1 John 3:14) “If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed.” (1 Corinthians 16:22) "For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it; If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised." (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)
For Christ Jesus died and even in His death, He worked good for us; so death cannot separate us from the love of Him;
And He was raised to new life and has gone away to the Father, yet He intercedes on our behalf; so life cannot separate us from the love of Him;
And messengers may testify against the love of Christ, but His work on the cross speaks more about love than their many words; so they cannot separate us from the love of Him;
And principalities are first on earth, but Christ is the Beginning and the Head of the heavens and the earth; so they cannot separate us from the love of Him;
And the things present are presently passing away, and the things to come are yet to be, but He was, is now, and is to come; so the things present nor the things to come can ever separate us from the love of Him;
And our enemies may be powerful, but even God's weakness is stronger than the strength of men; so powers cannot separate us from the love of Him;
And the height of mountains may tower over us, but through faith in His name, we may say, "Be uprooted and be planted in the sea." (Luke 17:6) So heights cannot separate us from the love of God;
And we may sink to the depths of Sheol, to the roots of the mountains, but, as it is written: “I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:2) So depth cannot separate us from the love of God;
And all things created, He made beautiful, but much more beautiful and majestic is He who creates all; if He creates these things, and they are glorious and beautiful before our eyes, and not even all the scholars of the world can wrap their minds around them, and yet He destroys them as if they were nothing, He wraps them up like a garment and changes them out; how much greater then are the things to come, things that replace these, things which He has for us, things prepared for us who love God, things which are forever?
Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
For the sake of this writing, I will assume there is a rapture of God’s saints before the tribulation; and I will find contradictions in the Word of Truth, assuming this, to prove the doctrine is false; for we know God’s Word is true:
So if there be a rapture of God’s saints before the tribulation, then there will be another rapture when Christ comes for the remainder; but the Scriptures say, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.“ [1 Thessalonians 4:15-17] So the saints in Christ, alive and dead, will be caught up together with Christ at His appearance, without one proceeding the other, according to the Word of Truth in Paul. But the Pre-Tribulation rapture suggests there are two separate raptures, one preceding the other; so we have reached a contradiction against God’s Word, thereby proving it false, for God’s Word is true.
For God’s dealing with man has not changed; He did not rescue Israel out of Egypt before He sent the plagues — no. Rather, they were set apart from the plagues, then He poured out His wrath on the Egyptians; they were spared, but Egypt was harmed. Likewise the Psalmist says, “A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.“ [Psalms 91:7-8] Is this not what the Revelation says, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.“ [Revelation 7:3] So they were sealed, not taken out before the time; just as God dealt previously, so He will deal in the end; as Isaiah says, “Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;“ [41:22] For these things which happened are testimonies to future events.
“Ah! But there are so few in the end, even 144,000”, you may say; “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” [Luke 18:8] “Ah, but they are of Israel!”, you may also think; “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” [Romans 2:29] Is not a vision spiritual? Then why would Israel be physical? And is not the Book of Revelation a vision which the apostle wrote down? Is he then speaking of physical Jacob or spiritual Israel?
Does not the antichrist arise and perform his will against God’s saints? As it says, “he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will; he will destroy mighty men and the holy people.” [Daniel 8:24] And also it says, “As soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed“ [Daniel 12:7] And finally, “It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.“ [Revelation 13:7] But if God’s saints are no more, because they are taken, who does he come against?
So, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” [Acts 14:22] And, “if indeed we suffer with [Him] so that we may also be glorified with [Him.]“ [Romans 8:17] And even, “It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;” [2 Timothy 2:11] And, “The gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.“ [Matthew 7:14] So we see that the Father has ordained that we enter into the Kingdom only by pressing through a narrow place, that of affliction and tribulation for Jesus’ sake, if we be counted worthy. But the Pre-Tribulation rapture suggests not suffering later, then if not later, why now? So you see every false doctrine promotes a false agenda.
As the Psalmist says, “Let my judgement come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity” [17:2]; and so it shall be: our judgements coming from God. When our judgement comes from the Father, our judgement is just, such that “You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.” [51:4] Otherwise, if we judge and do the same things, our own mouths will condemn us, as it was with King David, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die,” [2 Sam 12:5] and then it says, “You are the man!” [12:7] But who has made us a judge? And if we do judge, why do we stand on our own judgements as if we belong to our own? For we have been bought with a price. In the Psalms, over and over again, the Psalmists cries out to God for vengeance, “O God, shatter their teeth in their mouth; Break out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD.” [58:6] And I ask: did he shatter the teeth of his own enemies? No. But on the contrary, “You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.” [3:7] The Lord our God is Judge.
Do not the apostles of our Lord Jesus say the same thing? “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay’, says the Lord.” [Romans 12:21] To say, “I am to judge”, is to also say, “I have power to save and destroy”, but on the contrary, “Look on everyone who is proud, humble him, And tread down the wicked where they stand. Hide them in the dust together; Bind them in the hidden place. Then I will also confess to you, That your own right hand can save you.” [Job 40:12-14] Are we any different than the rest of the sons of men? Has God granted us judgement and withheld it from everyone else? Surely, we haven’t puffed up ourselves in Christ, have we? As if it weren’t by grace? Surely, God has appointed judges in the courts of law, but whose Law do they uphold? Surely, there were Judges appointed by God to Israel from the time of Joshua to Samuel, but by whose wisdom did they judge? And who raised them up? Who appoints the leaders? Is it not the Lord God?
Surely, if we are His followers, then we shall do as He does. So how did Jesus judge when He was on the earth? We know for certain that if He came to judge the world, we would not be able to stand; but on the contrary, “God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. [John 3:17]”. And “As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” [John 5:30] And “You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. But even if I do judge, My judgement is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.” [John 8:15,16] “And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” [1 Peter 2:23] Think about that. The Lord Jesus sought the judgement of the Father; and we are His followers, doing as He does; so we seek the judgement of Him. Our judgements are not of our own; but He gives us discernment so that we would know.
Therefore if we see a believer and he rejects correction even after taking him before the church, we separate from him, for he has not in mind the will of the Lord Jesus; we will know them by their fruit. Christ did not entrust Himself to any man, for He knew what was inside a man.
But what about those who were stricken by the hands of the apostles? “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” [Acts 13:11] Yes, it was the hand of the Lord that was upon him; certainly the apostle Paul could not have blinded anyone except with a club. But there is no club mentioned. And what about inside the church? Did Peter slay them with his own hands who lied to the Holy Spirit? No. It was God’s judgement. And the immoral? As it says, “In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” [1 Corinthians 5:4-5] In Christ’s name and in Christ’s power was the man handed over to the evil one. So you see: Christ’s judgement is revealed in the judgement of the apostles. We have not the power in ourselves to do any of these things; as Jeremiah says, “I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O LORD, but with justice; Not with Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.” [Jeremiah 10:23]
Shall we judge unbelievers? How about, should we unite with them? “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God.” [2 Corinthians 6:14:18] Now when I say “unite” I mean to be yoked. You can eat with such a one, but do not be yoked in fellowship with them. Again, I am talking about unbelievers. Do not even eat with such a one who claims to be a believer but lives immoral (1 Corinthians 5:11). There is an exception and this is the apostle Paul's concession, not a command from the Lord, but his wisdom is more than trustworthy: he says, “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.” [1 Corinthians 7:12-16].
It is common for an unbeliever or an inquirer to come to a religious establishment, as it says, “But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgement by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!’” [1 Corinthians 14:24-25]; and it is common for an unbeliever to invite you to dinner, as it says, “If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising question of conscience.” [1 Corinthians 10:27]. But to be yoked to them is against the Lord Jesus Christ's command. Did not Jesus eat with sinners? But was He yoked to them? No! They turned to Him, seeking guidance and truth. “Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them” [Jeremiah 15:19]. Outsiders God will judge on that day, but in His grace, He has given them many days available for repentance: “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within? But those who are outside, God judges.” [1 Corinthians 8:11]
How about a brother? Certainly we should judge him. But there are things which are a matter of opinion, which we would not judge a brother: food or drink or festivals or new moons or Sabbath days (these are listed in the Scriptures). Otherwise, we may be found guilty of sinning; and sinning even against Christ, as it says, “For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.” [1 Corinthians 8:12] But impurity from a lying spirit (as with Ananias and Sapphira) and immorality (as in Corinth) were sins that lead to death and were purged quickly from inside the Church; as it says, “This you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” [Ephesians 5:5] And “Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” [Ephesians 5:3] “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” [1 Corinthians 5: 13]
So our judgement in Christ is to keep pure within the Church, purging all leaven. Sin that leads to death ought not even to be named among us, as it was in the law: “Make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.” [Exodus 23:13] This is how the Lord deals with sin that leads to death: purge it. We being members of His Body are with Him in the judgement; for we are the Body, not the Head. “All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.” [1 John 5:17]
We have a pattern to deal with a brother that sins (presumably, a sin which does not lead to death), as our Lord says, “Show him his fault in private, if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” [Matthew 18:15-20] And, “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” [Titus 3:11] And, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” [Romans 16:17,18] And, “We command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” [2 Thessalonians 3:6] And, “If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” [2 Thessalonians 3:14,15]
Thus we know a person sins unto death when they stop listening to sound doctrine, when they lie against the truth, when they refuse correction.
The goal is always to win our brother not to separate from him. But if we must separate, that we must. Even amongst the congregation, there will be divisions: “For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.” [1 Corinthians 11:19] But in the end, the Lord will separate the sheep from the goats: “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” [Matthew 25:32] We must avoid them amongst us who walk contrarily lest we be corrupted by their bad company: “Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals.’” [1 Corinthians 15:33] So “Those that sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.” [1 Timothy 5:20] Some think, ‘Why rebuke? Cast him out’; and others think, “Harsh, where is mercy?”
To the men which oppose the truth and sound doctrine, Paul says, “If anyone advocates for a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” [1 Timothy 6:3-5] When the doctrine is sound, the issue is with man; for God’s Word is pure “like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” [Psalm 12:6]
What is the opposite of truth? What is contrary to good? There is only one other choice: evil. If anyone opposes the truth, it is because they love lies; if anyone opposes goodness, it’s because they do evil. You either walk in life or you walk in death — the life in death is not life at all. The result of judgement is always separation in the Lord: whether it be separation by physical death, separation in being handing over to Satan, separation in being treated as a Gentile or tax collector, or separation by being avoided amongst the church to be brought to shame.
Therefore, if anyone sins against us, do we add reason to cast him out because of our dislike for him? No! Rather, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” [Colossians 3:13] And “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” [Galatians 6:1-3] For this is mercy. The mercy Jude spoke about when he said, “Have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.” [Jude 21-23] On the other hand, “Judgement will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement.” [James 2:13] What is the reason for mercy? Our Lord and God has been merciful to us, just as Christ says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” [Luke 6:36,37] To disagree with this is to deny the fact that the Father has been merciful to us; and in that case, we have not believed the truth of Christ, and we ought to cast ourselves off, as it says, “May their camp be desolate; may none dwell in their tents.” [Psalms 69:25]
Think of this, all of you who are eager to judge and slow to love: you can’t keep the law when you’re sitting in judgement on it. Does not the law of Christ say, “Carry one another’s burdens”? And the judge is one who judges, and does not carry; he sits, but does not help walk; he tells you what is wrong, but will not lift a finger to help. When you are judging by the law, you are not keeping the law, for you cannot be doing both. Can one be above and below at the same time? And who has appointed you to be a judge? “There is one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?” [James 4:12] But what law do you judge me by? Judge me through Christ, find fault in me so that I would repent. Show me the error of my ways, convince me of my wrong and I will listen. It will be painful; but may I come out on the other side by the power of God. “Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.” [Psalm 141:5]
We are called to edify our brothers house — not to tear it down. Even as the apostles says, “Even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down." [2 Corinthians 10:8] And, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” [1 Corinthians 8:1] The one who refuses to build up his brother’s house falls into the same judgement as Onan; and what was his sentence from the Lord? “What he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.” [Genesis 38:10] For he refused to build up his deceased brother’s house. And so do you, you who refuse to love, but speak against your brother in judgement. As James says, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.” [4:11] So let us submit ourselves to each other in the fear of Christ instead of quarreling like children, submitting ourselves under the law of Christ that we may fulfill it through faith. “You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you.” [Psalm 50: 20,21].
But does this mean that we should not reprove our brother? What does the Law say? “You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.” [Leviticus 19:17] So love is inseparable from reproof; it is loving to reprove our brother; for in reproof, we walk in the paths of life, as it says, “The commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.” [Proverbs 6:23] Is this not the same kind of love the Lord shows us? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by Him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” [Proverbs 3:11,12] And, “When we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.” [1 Corinthians 11:32]
Truly, if we are sons, we will experience discipline from the Lord. By which law do we reprove? Is it not the law of faith which is obedience to the truth? The truth is that Christ died for us. The law of Christ fulfills the law of God. And we see that James judged by the law of God by saying, “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.” [James 2:9] And it also says in another place, "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.” [1 Corinthians 14:34] But to speak against a brother and revile him, verbally abusing him, even if his error is according to the law, it is sin and impurity; it leads to death: “(…) verbal abusers (…) will not inherit the kingdom of God.” [1 Corinthians 6:10] We ought to help a brother, judging with mercy, not revile him. If we fall short and sin, the remedy is confession and forsaking the sin; God will restore such a one through faith in Jesus Christ, who purifies us from all sin. He is able to make us stand. We must walk in the light to be purified, which means transparency before God: this is confession. If we lie and say we have not sinned, we do not practice the truth. We have been made right by the blood, but not so that we would conform to a pattern of lawlessness. Because Christ has set us free, we humble ourselves as willing servants to Christ Jesus in obedience to Him, as slaves to righteousness, which leads to holiness, which results in life eternal.
There are two paths: a right and a left, a good and a bad; just as a computer is complex, even though is made up of many bits of 1 or 0, so it is with this world, it is complex, but we have only two choices. If there were one choice, we wouldn’t have free will; but there are two choices, and you must choose one. “I have set before you today life and goodness, as well as death and disaster.” [Deuteronomy 30:15] Will you drink from the cup of the Spirit? As it says, “We were all made to drink of one Spirit.” [1 Corinthians 12:13] And “You will indeed drink My cup.” [Matthew 20:23] Or from the cup of God’s wrath? “If they refuse to accept the cup (of wrath) from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: You must drink!’” [Jeremiah 25:28] You may decide for yourselves which you desire to walk in: mercy or judgement. Judge for yourselves. Yes. Judge. You who are so prone to judging, judge by the standard in which we are truly measured: “Test yourselves if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless indeed you fail the test?” [2 Corinthians 13:5] “No one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” [1 Corinthians 12:3]
I say affirmatively, many Christian denominations are a result of arrogance and pride, separating from one another because of false boasts; they would rather hold themselves in arrogance, puffing themselves up in knowledge, rather than holding fast to an attitude of love in the heart of humility. But only, “If we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged.” [1 Corinthians 11:31] Many of these denominations are a judgement upon us by God. If He didn’t allow it, then who? “For whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.” [Galatians 6:7] How are there so many denominations when there are only two options? The fact that there are so many divisions shows that it is of the flesh! All of them are wrong. Even to name yourself as a denomination is wrong. There is one body. We cannot be fooled, Satan has a synagogue too: “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but do lie - behold, I will make them to come and worship at your feet, and to know that I have loved you.” [Revelation 3:9] “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” [Revelation 2:9]
Oh! That we would instead love our brethren and be one, speaking with one mind and with one tongue, just as a husband and a wife are one; Christ called and ordained His Church, to be aligned, in step, harking to His cadence; for He is the Commander of Heaven’s Armies, the Lord Jesus, giving His soldiers the Good Commandment: “hold fast to that which you have until I come.” [Revelation 2:25] Be one! And that, without compromise, holding fast to the truth. “That they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” [John 17: 22,23] “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” [Philippians 2:1,2]
Ah! I have been judged because of what Bible I read! Oh, how they prove to be of the letter and not of the Spirit, because they judge me by the letter: the letter of my text. What difference is it, if I read one syntax verses another? As long as the semantics remain the same, what difference does it make? Would you judge me if I read in another tongue? I was saved reading the New Living Translation, which comes from a paraphrase! Cannot God open the mouth of a mute donkey to preach? If He so wills, couldn’t He make the rocks cry out? Who can tell Him otherwise? I have been judged according to how to say my Savior’s name. If in one tongue, His name is pronounced like this, and in another tongue, pronounced like that, why force someone to pronounce a certain way? Do not names have meaning? Which is greater: the letter of a name or the Spirit of the name? Yet, they place a stumbling block for others by compelling them to speak according to the letter when we’re called to worship in Spirit and truth. Meaning is what matters. The Spirit gives life. “God saves”, “I Am”, “The Lord is our Banner”. Did not Hagar give Him who sees the name, “The God Who Sees”? And the twelve tribes all obtained their names from a meaning. In one tongue, it’s pronounced like this; in another, like that. So why place a stumbling block for your neighbor? “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.” [Romans 16:17] The result of judgment is separation; let us separate for truth’s sake, not in arrogance and pride. Children!
“Therefore do not go on passing judgement before the time, until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. (…) in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” [1 Corinthians 4:6] Is that not what this kind of judgement does? Puffs up. “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” [Galatians 6:3] For they add to God’s Word so they would have something to boast about; and that, besides the Cross of Christ. As it says, “But let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things.” [Jeremiah 9:24] “Did not your father eat and drink And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; Then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?” [Jeremiah 22:16] Only in this way ought we to boast; a person who boasts in any other way, fails to harken to the apostle of Jesus Christ, “I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” [Romans 12:3]. And I know very well that in ourselves we have no room for boasting.
I am of Luther! I am of Calvin! I am of the Church! “Has Christ been divided?” [1 Corinthians 1:13] Let me speak of division for it originates with God: “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” [Genesis 11: 7] But in Christ, we’re called into one; as it says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” [Ephesians 4: 4-6] The LORD God scatters the wicked like wheat, but for His saints, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” [Ephesians 4:1,2] Like it says, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” [1 Corinthians 14:33] He makes confused the wicked, but unites the righteous for the cause of righteousness. If only we would weight both sides, we wouldn’t be caught up in such a misjudgment. Divide the Word honestly for a more precise understanding. Listen. Do not harden your heart and stiffen your neck, stuffing up your ears; with a hard heart, comes an uncircumcised ear. Open your eyes and do not close them up; evaluate the truth and the truth will evaluate you. The Lord says, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ for behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” [Matthew 7:3-5] For where you are blind, your brother can see; and where your brother is blind, only you can see. We all lack sight in some areas and we all stumble in many ways; but the one who loves the Lord diligently will seek perfection just as He is perfect.
“Christ is of this skin color, not of that!” Is it not enough for you that He became a human being? Must He also follow your skin tone? “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement.” [John 7:24] I know the truth! The Sabbath is Saturday. “He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord.” [Romans 14:6] We eat Kosher. “And he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.” [Romans 14:6] Surely these judgements do not come from the Lord, but from the wicked flesh. Oh and you! How can I forget about you who judge this letter saying, “He is ecumenical”; all knowledge would die with you, wouldn't it? “For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” [2 Corinthians 6:14] If the Lord God has separated the uncircumcised flesh, surely separation from the world is present in such a man. “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” [Galatians 6:14] Those of the flesh, boast of the flesh, while in the flesh; and those of the flesh reside wholly in flesh; but those of the Spirit, boast in God; and those of the Spirit reside in God, for He is their Refuge; in Him, there is no condemnation; as it says, “Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” [Psalm 34:21,22]
Therefore, “Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this — not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.” [Romans 14:13] “For God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (…) But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. (…) For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.” [Romans 14:3,4; 10-13; 7-9]
Many deceptive people get themselves into positions of truth and bring it into disrepute: you have liar exorcists, erroneous false prophets, false teachers, corrupt judges, unjust police, etc. Let us also know that this is the work of satan because our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the unseen powers of the unseen world in the spiritual high places. In discernment, you only need to ask where does this come from? If it comes from the world, we know it is evil — we have no need to ask if it is even evil because if it comes from the world, it comes from the evil one. We also should ask: what are the outcomes of believing something to be true?; or in other words, what is their agenda? If their agenda is good, then good; if it is bad, then we know it comes from the devil. Most evil agendas trick people into living lawlessly: all sin is lawlessness. We also should know that only God is Good. If they claim good, but do not have God then it is evil and comes from the world. There is no in-between: either something comes from the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of darkness.
We should remember Moses and the deception of Egypt’s magicians (Book of Exodus). They did the same works that Moses did, but Moses did them by the power of God. In the end times, the Scriptures say the antichrist will flash down fire from heaven and do other such marvels like bringing life to a statue (Book of Revelation). Bring also into remembrance the 7 sons of Sceva who tried to cast out demons in Jesus’ name, but fled from the home naked and beaten by such evil spirits (Book of Acts). Yes, these spirits are powerful and do wonders. We must remember that these evil spirits can also speak the truth. For many of the evil spirits proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God, and following Paul they said, “This man brings you the Gospel and the way to be saved” (Gospels and Acts). These are all in line with how satan works, masking as an angel of light. So we see how hard it is to discern spirits. This shows how much we ought to be in the Word of God.
The Egyptian magic was not as powerful as God’s power. When they threw their staff on the ground and it became a serpent, God’s serpent ate up their serpents; this shows God can swallow up evil in an instant as He did with Korah and those that rebelled, opening up the mouth of the earth and swallowing them up. And again, when God turned the water of the Nile into blood, so did the Egyptian magicians. However, they only did so with a little of the water, where-as God did it in all of the land of Egypt and the entirety of the Nile — even the cooking pots in the Egyptians homes turned to blood if it came from the Nile! This shows God’s sovereignty by scale — in totality, not in part. Then Moses conjured up frogs from the Nile but so did the Egyptian magicians. However, God made the mind of the frogs change to hop in the Egyptian homes, on their beds, and in their pots! The Egyptians were not able to control the mind of the frogs. God has sovereignty over all of His creation and by His mighty name even evil spirits are subjected to Him and tremble in fear — how mighty is our God!
Even in the realm of exorcism, the devil has infiltrated this sphere into making us think an individual has power over them. Can satan cast out satan? No, otherwise his kingdom is divided and how can it stand? Many false teachers put on shows of entertainment in churches claiming they’re exorcising demons, but they are not: they merely show two demons entertaining the crowd and putting on a show, captivating the audience with deception. I have no doubt that some of them brought on stage are possessed, but the one doing the ‘exorcism’ is also possessed. Let us not be immature being blown about by the wind by every false doctrine, but let us test the spirits. If they confess Jesus as Lord, they are from God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Anything ‘new’ is not from God because He has been the same from the beginning. There isn’t anything truly new under the sun, but all is old; that ancient serpent called the devil who deceives the whole world, has always been this way — he has been a liar since the beginning. This is another way we can discern the truth: by going to the beginning. For this is where truth lives: In the beginning, God...
Today is veteran’s day. I was looking on You-tube at Kirk Cousin testimonies about Christ. I had not known he was a Christian, but i recognized him as being a God fearing man and knew there was something special about him. I look at football as being a worldly thing, most definitely. I had loved football since a youth and just recently I had given the Lord my love for football — and he has made it new! I haven’t had any revelations from football, it has always been a dead thing even as it was so alive to me — there was no milk nor honey from God in it. But now, after a week, I have had many revelations and new insights about it after giving it up to the Lord, and I no longer have love for it, but God has used it to increase my love for Him. This shows God cannot use a thing if we hold onto it because we block out all communication from God; we know the thing is wrong, but we hold onto it anyway.
Kirk Cousins said many true things. One thing: there are no atheists in fox holes. Everyone believes in God when things are tough when we are in need or facing death. Similarity everyone prays before a football game; football is life or death. Similar to the military; today is veteran’s day. Then i went down the rabbit hole of Damar Hamlin; earlier this year he died on the football field multiple times. His heart stopped and they brought him back to life. He has come back a week ago to play football. This shows he is willing to die for football. On the opposite spectrum, Kirk Cousins said in one of his worse games, “if my life were tied up in football after this loss, i would be devastated. Beautiful thing I am founded on Christ the solid rock in which I stand.” This shows both sides: idolatry vs true worship of God. It’s about the heart not the actions. We can see someone playing football, something very secular, and judge him based on that. But God looks at the heart. Kirk plays football but his heart is not in football, it’s in Christ; he plays football for Christ. Damar, on the other hand, loves football, and is willing to die for football. What we are willing to die for shows what we love. There are certain sins we hold onto in which we say, “I will die before ever letting this go”, but if we let them go, God will restore and make new.
The Lord also showed me, if someone were to neglect the prayer before a football game to make a point or show off before his teammates, but then in his heart is fearful and asks God to protect him, He will honor him because God looks at the heart. It’s very tempting to make judgements based on outward appearance alone; we must look at the heart of the matter. Jesus was spoken evil of constantly because of what He was seen doing: eating with sinners, working on the Sabbath, etc. The heart of Jesus was to love His neighbor as Himself. He ate with those sinners because He loved them. He worked on the Sabbath because He was healing those oppressed by the devil.
Because of God’s great love for us, we ought to die for Him, and the death we die is to sin and to ourselves. This shows we are willing to die for Jesus. Suffering, Service, and Sacrifice: these are the three to love. If love does not have these, is it love or merely lust? True love produces these. If we love Him, we will obey His commandments.
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. (1 Titus 1:15)
I know confidently that I have walked in darkness most of my life. I walked not with my feet, but with my hands, reaching out, hoping to grab whatever I run into. For people who walk in the dark do not walk confidently, but they stumble over things, unseen, that are blanketed in darkness. They grasp for anything to hold onto, even though they know not what it is. Also, in the darkness there are lies. No one tells a lie in the light because clearly, it can be seen that it is in fact a lie. In the dark, lies are told because you cannot see. There is uncertainty in the darkness. People walking in the dark do not know what is a lie and what is truth. They need light so that they can see what is a lie and what is truth. The darkness hates the light because the light testifies of its deeds. For in the dark, evil deeds are done because they can not be seen. In the light, good deeds are done so that everyone can see them. In the darkness, there is no light.
This world is darkness. I am confident in this. The Light has come into the world. In the Light, there is Truth. Jesus is the Light. Jesus is God. God has come into darkness; He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. In this world, we do not walk with a direction. We do not know where we are going. There are many paths, but all of them are dead because they are all lies. Lies are dead; the Truth is Living. The Truth is Jesus. He is also the Light. A lie cannot be proven because a lie is not living. The Truth can be proven because the Truth is Living. Jesus is also the Way. Paths that are dead, lead nowhere. They have an end. The Way leads to eternal life. Eternal life is life that does not end. This is the Way: Jesus Christ. Jesus is also the Life. In Him, there is life eternal. What will it profit a man if he gain the whole world but lose his very soul?
The Good News of Truth is this: Jesus Christ who is above all and created all came into this world as a Carpenter. He emptied Himself of His riches and became poor for our sakes. He did many signs and miracles. He spoke Words of life and of Truth. For He is the Word of life. There is no darkness in Him at all. He is without sin and obeyed the law perfectly. He was sentenced to a criminal’s death on the cross even though they found no fault in Him at all. He came into darkness to put an end to darkness. He was crucified as an innocent Man.
There are many lies, but only One Truth because there is only One God. The so-called ‘other gods’ are not living and they are not god. If they were living, they would work miracles among us and save us. But they do not. The True God who came into this world to die for us is Jesus. Jesus bore the curse of the law that we cannot keep. For all sin is transgression of the law. He put to death our sin on the cross by bearing it Himself. His Blood covers us of all sins and the Cross puts to death our sin. Sins are all our transgressions of the holy law. Sin is the power at work in us (see Romans Chapter 7). By Jesus’ death we are freed from darkness. Although, we are free from the power of sin and death, we are not free to carry out our good intentions; the war is not outside, but inside. By Jesus’ resurrected life, we are free to walk in the light, with direction, purpose, meaning, and eager hope, with eyes open in the Light, walking with our feet. Jesus has done everything for you and it is a finished work. By faith we are in right standing with God. Faith in the finished work of Jesus. Therefore, put no hope in your deeds, but by the deed done by Christ on the Cross. You need add nothing, but faith. By faith in this historic objective fact, you are right with God. This is the Way to eternal life that is in Christ Jesus.
A dead faith is a faith that is a lie. You can tell it is a lie because it is not living. It is like a cadaver that does not move. A faith is true if it is living. A living faith can be seen. There is a day when everything done in the dark will be brought into the Light. In the Light, no excuse or lie can be told because the truth can clearly be seen. Everything hidden will be made known. Nothing secret will not be revealed. We live in a tent. This is our temporary home. We are responsible for what we do in our tents. How we live in our temporary home determines where our eternal home will be. For our tents will be taken down one day. There is confident hope in Jesus who is our Redeemer. In the light, there is no darkness at all. Those who are for truth are for Jesus. Those who accept Jesus are accepting God who sent Him. Those who reject the Truth, love to live a lie and love the darkness more than the Light. The devil lied from the beginning and there is no truth in him at all. If you reject the truth, you are for the devil who is a lie. If you seek truth, you will find Jesus who is True.
In the world there are lies. For the ruler of this world is the devil, the father of lies. And what fellowship does light have with darkness? The most concentration of darkness is around the Light. The darkness can never put out the Light. Wash yourselves of the teachings of this world about Jesus. They are lies because they come from this world and in this world there is darkness. Listen to the truth who is Jesus. His Words are life and they are written in the Bible and preached by those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. Those who know Jesus know the truth and accept the truth.
Salvation is not so far away that you must go into space to find it. It is not so distant you must travel to the ends of the earth. It is not so deep that you must travel the depths of the ocean. It is so close: on your lips and in your heart, for whoever believes in their heart and confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord will be saved. It was a discovery working with you all. Kurtis.
I’m sending this to speak on the things I have seen. I have trouble communicating. As you well know. You said, “Test me and see where I am at fault”. God willing, I will do so. I had planks in my eye and they were plucked out with your help. What got me to repent? Light. The light was shone and I seen I had sin and I got rid of it. It has no power over me because I love Light and sin has been rendered powerless. However, preaching repentance to an unbelieving people has no effect on them; if there is an effect on them, the effect is they are driven away! Christ calls all people to Himself with the Good News; but you drive them away with regulations and rules, five steps mascaraing as “Good News”. This drives unbelievers away. What causes repentance? Don’t you know it’s God kindness that causes you to repent? Why not then preach God’s Good News then so that they may believe and have repentance that leads to life?
You are in error here and I was in error back there. I looked into the Mirror and God showed me my sins. Sometimes a brother needs to look at the back of another so they can see what they can’t see while facing the Mirror. This is why brotherhood is good and the Body of Christ is good. This is why as a Body, we need fellowship. The Mirror is God’s Word. I consider you brothers. Do you consider me a brother? How does one become a brother? Are we called repenters or believers? We are called believers which are also followers and disciples of Christ. Believers are ones who believe that Christ loved them and was crucified for them and rose from the dead. Could anyone be convinced Jesus loved them this way and not love Him back? If we love Christ, will we continue on sinning? No! Does someone hurt someone whom they love? If we love Him, we will obey His commandments. This shows that we love God and that we have faith in Him. What are His commandments? To live as He has lived (also known as following Him); He lived in love and love fulfills the entirety of the Law.
You preach conditional love and outside of Christ there is no love of God. If that is true, then how are you saved? Were you not outside of Christ at one point in time? Or were you born good? If God’s love is for us conditionally, based on our doing, then no-one would be saved! No-one can earn what Christ has done for us. We know that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. We show love to people in the world by giving them the message of God’s grace in hopes they will believe. If God loved us before we believed and also after we believed, then how is that conditional? God’s love is not based on us, but based on Who He is: God is Love. God has always loved us, ever since the beginning. The Holy Spirit warns me, if I were to join your fellowship, I will lose the love of God. I have already seen the fruit of this just by talking with you. This type of mindset is not right. (If we do sin, we confess our sins and He is faithful to forgive us our sins. The Spirit convicts us of our sins and we have inward grieves and groans until we rectify our sins. If we do anything outside of love, it is in vain. We can give our bodies to be sacrificed; we can live under the sun as an animal; we can give all we have to the poor, but if it’s not done in love then we have accomplished nothing.)
I will show the mindset you have using a marriage parable since you love those so much: A man wants to marry a young virgin. However, he wants a bride that can cook. So he slaps down in front of her a cookbook with thousands of recipes. He will marry her as long as she learns how to cook. Is this the same love God shows us? Please tell me this is not the Spirit you have received. He loved us while we were still sinners, while we were apart from Him in thought and deed. We have stored up transgressions in our account under the old system of Law; and in Christ Jesus we are freely forgiven. Is this for everyone regardless if they are in Christ or not? No! We have to believe the promise of eternal life through Jesus — this makes us in Christ, this is how we receive the promise. How then do we test ourselves to see if we truly do believe? A dead faith is a faith that does not move. It has no merit in reality. A belief that has no merit in reality is a delusion. True authentic faith lives and moves and has it’s being. A false faith is walking in the darkness. It does not move because it cannot move; the darkness blinds it. A true faith walks in the light and sees and has it’s being — for it moves. Let me say it in another way: a person who believes in God is godly and lives a godly life; a person who does not believe in God is godless and lives a godless life.
The Gospel is not a five step program, or ten step program. There is one step: Believe in the Son. How can they believe unless they hear? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? You preach a message for believers to an unbelieving people in vain. This is not the Good News that I have received. The Good News is righteousness by faith through Jesus Christ. If you preach your message to unbelievers, they will think they have to do instead of believe. They are not approaching God by faith, but on merit of their own doing. We know we approach God through prayer based on the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ. If we are not heard by God when we approach Him, then what does it mean? It means we have unbelief and are double-minded, sharing ourselves with this present world and having love for it. How do we rectify it? With our own human effort? No! We rectify our unbelief with assurance of the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ — Who is the Living Gospel, the Message, and Good News. This assurance brings us out of the world and to Christ Who is in heaven. Our walk in the Lord is from start to finish by faith in Jesus Christ Who is the Initiator and Perfecter of our faith.
If we say, “You must believe to be in Christ and we are shown to believe by our fruit based on the Law,” then what have you just done? You have rebuilt the old system of Law which you have destroyed when you came to Christ Jesus. We know we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ; that’s apart from the Law and not of works such that no-one may boast. We stay in Christ by remembering Him, or preaching Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and raised from the dead, confessing His Name causes us remember the confident hope we have in Him. We have freedom in Christ, but this mindset is tying people back up in the Law. Where there is Law, there is sin; where the Law is rebuilt, sin is re-established. All of the Law is fulfilled in this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself. This is the love that faith produces. This is the love that God gives. A love that is for everyone, a promise that anyone may obtain (I am not saying ‘unconditional’ since you do not like that terminology). If someone does not believe the message about Christ, God’s wrath remains on them, it doesn’t leave them. Does that mean they have exempted themselves from ever in their lifetime receiving God’s gift? No! We believe it’s by faith a righteous person has life. Perhaps that person may believe later in life. If they die in their sins, they will surely see God’s wrath. God will first-most turn that person over to deep darkness in judgement, so that the Light of the Gospel will shine brighter. What’s the likelihood? We know puny will make it into the Kingdom. But as for us who believe, we are grafted into God’s Family by faith, provided we continue to trust in His kindness; otherwise, we will be cut off.
The message that belongs to you is perfect for those who claim Christ, who say they believe. I do not disagree with even a single bit of it. I do disagree with it being called the Gospel. The response to the Gospel is the message that you have — nearly perfect. However, this message cannot be confused with the Pure Gospel Message that Jesus was the first to preach. The Law was revealed on Mount Sinai, exposing what is written on the conscience. Later, the way to get right with God was revealed, the way of faith. Many people were healed from unclean spirits, sickness, disease and death in Jesus’ time because they believed in His Name. After the Message, miracles and signs, if they still had not repented, Jesus called upon them woes and curses because they did not show signs of their faith — repentance. But that deliverance came by faith. Were all people delivered? No! Because many did not believe. Was there favoritism on God’s part? No! Because He has sent His Son for the entire world, to whoever will believe. You say you know these things, but by your actions you deny it. You take the commands of Jesus and pile them up blocking the way into the Kingdom of God. Can anyone repent outside of faith? Then why not give them faith by the Gospel of grace? The Jews came into the churches and spied out the freedom they had in Christ. The Church got whim of it and did not burden them — only four prohibitions so that they wouldn’t deter those trying to come near to God, them young in the faith.
I do believe it divine that I met you; do you think I have something that I see with fresh eyes as a novice? When someone gives a gift, even if it’s on their birthday, have they earned it? No! A gift is given by grace; the person simply receives the gift. They could easily say, “I don’t want it”. The Gospel is the free gift of God, receiving this gift is through faith. The gift is like a promise. A promise is given, not because we earn it, but because of the generosity of the one who gave it. God is kind and generous to us, offering us salvation through faith in His Son. We show we believe in God by how we live. If we aren’t in step with the faith that we think we have, then what do we do? Do we try to produce in ourselves works, simulating authentic faith? No! We believe in the Son. How? By hearing the Message about Christ, assuring ourselves in what is unseen. There are many beautiful things that are produced from the Gospel, but to take the production of the Gospel and put it in front of it as means to aspire to or work at before coming to God is false. Disagree? How then can someone enter the wedding feast without wedding garments already on? Shouldn’t they have removed their filthy rags, cleansed themselves, and put on wedding garments to begin with? We have faith by hearing the Word and believing it. If we preach the Gospel, we ought to preach a clear witness about Jesus that is available for everyone which is the essence of prophesy. Please give this to the other brothers whether you believe it or not. Let them decide whether or not what I am saying is true.
Those who use fear to stimulate someone show that they themselves are stimulated by fear. We know the fear of God is good to keep us unstained from sin; but to serve God, we do so motivated by love and perfect love casts out all fear. God desires mercy; not sacrifice. Sacrifice without mercy is meaningless and profits nothing. I will obey my Lord and listen to your teachings; as it is written, “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and not do.” Beware of speaking against the Spirit of Grace by which we are saved. Many people in the world believe the doctrines of demons which assume God’s grace as means to live lawlessly. I know you didn’t mean it that way and were referring to the world in such speaking.