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Hasten The Day!
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. [See Table of Contents for all End-Time Prophecies covered here, best viewed on a big screen]
Prophecies Happening NOW
DECEPTION – IN OUR WORLD
BEWARE OF THE DECEPTION and DEFINING EVIL
Discerning Between Good and Evil
Lamb & Lion Ministries w/ Terry James
How can we protect ourselves from becoming deceived?
Lamb & Lion Ministries w/ Terry James
Watch out for False Prophets! Who are they?
The Subliminal Seduction of the Masses
Prophecy Watchers w/ Billy Crone
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Every day our eyes and our minds are bombarded with click bait, sensational headlines, marketing gimmicks and the outright manipulation of the masses. Our private information is being bought and sold while every keystroke is carefully tracked by software. Yes, Big Brother is watching … and listening.
The Satanic Psychological Operation
Rock Harbor Church Prophecy Update
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There has been a global psychologic operation that is meant on brainwashing people around the world, and it has worked. This psychological operation includes what these people have done and their useful idiots to get people to think Babylonian. To call good evil and to call evil good. Today we study the brainwashing techniques being used on humanity so that we can protect ourselves and our family.
BEWARE OF THE DECEPTION
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Why does God allow deception?
https://www.gotquestions.org/God-allow-deception.html
Answer: God’s desire is that all people repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). At the same time, Satan, the “father of lies” (John 8:44), deceives the very people who need to accept the truth. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Surely, God could stop Satan’s lies and give people a fighting chance.
The Bible presents a consistent picture of how sin and deception are related. What’s revealed is that the way we tend to think of deceit is, well, a bit deceived. Spiritually speaking, deception is deeper than merely being tricked or lied to. In order to be saved, one does not need any particular level of intelligence, philosophical ability, or wisdom (Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 1:20, 26). In fact, mankind has an unfortunate habit of using increased knowledge to develop more sophisticated ways to sin.
Key to understanding spiritual deception is the fact that we often choose what we want to believe rather than what we should believe, even in the face of the evidence (Luke 16:31). “Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him” (John 12:37). Notice that they would not believe Jesus, despite the miracles. Their unbelief was willful.
Eve’s fall into sin is the earliest example of how spiritual deception works. When the serpent asks her, “Did God really say . . . ?” Eve responds by quoting what God had said, although she added to the command (Genesis 3:1–3). She knows what to do and what not to do. The serpent then tempts her with what she can gain by eating from the tree (Genesis 3:4–5), and she notices other attractive aspects of the fruit (Genesis 3:6). Eve was lied to, and the serpent was cunning (2 Corinthians 11:3), but she ultimately chose to disobey God, even though she knew the commandment.
When confronted with her sin, Eve said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:13). The original Hebrew word for “deceived” implies trickery and craftiness. Eve was tricked, but she also had a choice in the matter. She exercised her God-given free will to make a wrong choice, seeking pleasure and personal promotion over what God had willed for her.
The same dynamic is at work today. Satan appeals to our natural desires and urges us to fulfill them in ways that dishonor God. Our desire for self-satisfaction makes Satan’s deception all the more potent.
God has sent the Savior (John 3:16), He fills the world with signs of Himself (Romans 1:20), He makes Himself available to those who seek Him (Deuteronomy 4:29), and He secures anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37). When people reject what is “clearly seen” of God (Romans 1:20), it leads to a downward spiral of “foolish hearts” made dark (verse 21), idolatry (verse 23), and sexual impurity (verse 24). Finally, mankind “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (verse 25). In other words, the spiritual deception of mankind is the direct result of rejecting readily apparent truth. The unbeliever has made an exchange—the truth for a lie—and the devil is happy to facilitate the swap by presenting the sinner with a wide array of lies from which to choose.
Anyone who resists God risks falling into spiritual deception (2 Thessalonians 2:8–10). Nature abhors a vacuum, and the void created by the eviction of truth will soon be filled by something less than true. Give up the truth, and you’ll believe just about anything.
Eve didn’t sin because she was hopelessly outmatched by a demonic force, making her do wrong when she thought she was doing right. Yes, she was lied to, but she chose to listen to the lie. That was followed by her longing look at what was forbidden and, finally, her taking the fruit in hopes of a better life.
All human sin is based in human choice (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we reject the truth, we make ourselves vulnerable to the lie. Repeated rejection of spiritual truth brings spiritual deception as a divine consequence.
God often allows spiritual deception as a form of punishment for willful sin, and in order to cultivate an awareness in our lives of how badly we need the One who is Himself Truth, our Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
What we are witnessing now in these final moments, is the hardening and quickening of this deception. It is being cemented into the minds of the unbelievers that anything and everything but the truth, is believable. And it is all working toward one goal - the antichrist kingdom.
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Matthew 24:3-25 – The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
Mt 24:3 And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. … 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. … 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
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2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 – The Great Apostasy
2Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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2 Corinthians 4:2-4 – The Light of Christ’s Gospel
2Co 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
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2 Timothy 3:12-13 – The Man of God and the Word of God
2Ti 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
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Ephesians 4:14-15 – Walk in Unity
Ep 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love,
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Ephesians 5:1-7 – Walk in Love
Ep 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
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1 John 2:24-29 – Let Truth Abide in You
1Jn 2:24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
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1 John 2:15-16 – Do Not Love the World
1Jn 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
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Matthew 13:18-23 – The Parable of the Sower Explained
Mt 13:18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
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Romans 12:2 – Living Sacrifices to God
Ro 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
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Psalm 32:1-2 – The Joy of Forgiveness
Ps 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
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Ephesians 2:1-3 – By Grace Through Faith
Ep 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
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1 John 1:5-10 – Fellowship with Him and One Another
1Jn 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
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Ephesians 6:10-13 – The Whole Armor of God
Ep 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
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Colossians 2:8 – Not Philosophy but Christ
Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
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Romans 16:17-20 – Avoid Divisive Persons
Ro 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
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Galatians 6:1-5 – Bear and Share Burdens
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
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James 1:21-22 – Doers—Not Hearers Only
Jam 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
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Psalm 24:3-5 – The King of Glory and His Kingdom
Ps 24:3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
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Jeremiah 5:26-31 – The Justice of God’s Judgment
Jer 5:26 ‘For among My people are found wicked men;
They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord. ‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’
30 “An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?
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1 John 3:4-10 – Sin and the Child of God
1Jn 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.
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John 8:42-47 – Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s
Jn 8:42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
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1 John 2:18-19 – Deceptions of the Last Hour
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
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2 John 1:7-11 – Beware of Antichrist Deceivers
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
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Revelation 12:7-12 – Satan Thrown Out of Heaven
Rev 12:7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
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Revelation 20:1-3 – Satan Bound 1,000 Years
Rev 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
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DEFINING EVIL
​What does the Bible say about good versus evil?
https://www.gotquestions.org/good-versus-evil.html
Answer: Among the most universal beliefs across all humanity is the concept of “good versus evil.” Every culture in every era has held to some version of this struggle. The definitions of the terms good and evil vary wildly, as do opinions on how they interact. Still, belief in some difference between that which is “good” and that which is “evil” pervades all of mankind. When all options and ideas are compared, only the Bible provides a perspective on good and evil that is fully coherent and fully livable (Psalm 25:6–15).
According to the Bible, “good versus evil” is not a matter of opinion. Nor is it an evenly matched struggle between two beings or forces. Scripture does not indicate that the boundaries of good and evil change. Nor does it claim the conflict between them will last forever. Of special importance is that the Bible does not suggest some people are good, while other people are evil.
Rather, the Bible teaches that good and evil are defined in reference to a perfect and unchanging God. Every person must grapple individually with the presence and temptations of evil. Scripture notes that all evil, without exception, will ultimately be punished and defeated. And it tells us there is an ultimate standard of goodness to which we should aspire—a standard grounded in a person, rather than a theory.
Good and Evil Are Objectively Distinct
According to the Bible, there is a real difference between good and evil. Some worldviews claim all moral distinctions are based purely on preference. Atheism, for instance, allows no objective basis for defining anything as “good” or “evil.” In a godless universe, there are only things a person prefers and things a person does not prefer. This is a key reason why philosophies embracing atheism always tend toward violence and tyranny: there is no sense of higher authority and no reason to moderate the whims of those in power.
The idea that defining good and evil depends on preferences or situations is commonly called moral relativism. Scripture rejects this idea as false. The Bible defines some things as “good” and other things as “evil” (Isaiah 5:20; Romans 12:9). This dichotomy is reflected in the consistent use of themes such as light versus darkness (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; John 1:5; Ephesians 5:8). The ultimate fate of all people depends on whether they are aligned with a good God or opposed to Him (1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Revelation 21:8).
Discerning between good and evil is possible only in reference to a single, unchanging standard: the perfect nature of God. God is not subject to morality, since He is the source and benchmark for it. Nor is morality subject to change, since God’s perfect nature is eternal and unchanging. Counters such as Euthyphro’s dilemma fail, since they do not distinguish between an eternal, unchanging God and the fickle deities of ancient Greek religion.
Good and Evil Are Not Balanced
A frequent component of fiction and fantasy is the idea that good and evil are equally balanced, evenly matched forces. According to this view, neither is ultimately in control. Either may eventually win. This is the concept of dualism, which suggests a perpetual balance between the forces of good and evil. In some cases, dualism implies that opposing beings, such as God and Satan, are deadlocked in a struggle for control and power.
Some worldviews teach that all good and evil will eventually be balanced. This is related to Eastern ideas such as karma, which implies that good and evil are inherently imbalanced but will one day be evened out.
Scripture rejects dualism as false. The Bible indicates that God is absolutely supreme and in no danger whatsoever of being defeated (Job 42:2; Psalm 89:8; Galatians 6:7). What Satan does, he is “allowed” to do, but he cannot act to overpower God (Job 1:12; Revelation 9:1; 20:7). Biblically, evil is destined only for defeat and destruction. Not one single act of evil will escape judgment; every sin will either be paid for by Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21) or by those who reject Christ (John 3:36) as they experience an eternity in hell (Revelation 20:11–15).
Good and Evil Are Not External
Evidence that humanity holds to a basic concept of good versus evil is obvious (Romans 1:18–20). This explains why moral reasoning—separating “what is” from “what ought to be”—is a universal facet of humanity. Of course, that does not mean all people hold the same views on good and evil. We are not examining morality from the outside, as neutral observers; all moral discussions by definition involve the person(s) who discuss them, as well.
A unique aspect of the Bible’s teaching on good and evil is that all people, without exception, are subject to sin and evil (Romans 3:10; 3:23). The biblical concept of a sin nature means that the line between good and evil cannot be drawn between people. Rather, it is drawn within every person. This fact of human nature is critical to understand (Matthew 15:19–20). As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously said, “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
In simpler language, C.S. Lewis noted, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you” (see Matthew 6:14–15).
One truth found in the gospel is that all people, without exception, are sinners in need of a Savior. Biblical Christianity does not see good versus evil as a battle to be fought on earth (John 18:36), an issue to resolve by revenge or retribution (Romans 12:20–21), or a philosophical position to be considered. The Bible says every person is created for a good purpose (Genesis 1:27; Galatians 3:28) but suffers from an evil heart (Romans 7:15–25), which can only be remedied by faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Redemption is available to anyone (Matthew 7:7–8; Revelation 22:15), regardless of his past or the depth of his sin (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).
Good versus Evil Requires “Right Judgment”
Another key aspect of the Bible’s teaching on “good versus evil” is that no person is infallible, even on spiritual matters. Those who are guided by the Holy Spirit are better equipped to judge spiritual matters (1 Corinthians 2:14), and they ought to do so. Scripture is clear that all people are subject to sin, and it is just as clear that all people are subject to correction (Hebrews 12:5–11), learning (2 Timothy 2:15), and limitations (1 Samuel 16:7).
In Matthew 7 Jesus gives an extensive explanation of how to properly discern between good and evil: to “judge” in the correct way; that is, to use “right judgment” (John 7:24). The Bible commends examination (Acts 17:11), commands putting things to the test (1 John 4:1), and promotes accountability (1 Peter 3:15) and a commitment to truth (Galatians 1:8–9).
Scripture does not imply that “good versus evil” is a simplistic, binary concept. Since only God is ultimately perfect, the Bible allows for a “good versus better” spectrum. God called His initial creation “good” (Genesis 1:24), then after more creating called it “very good” (Genesis 1:28). Some of the good things God has given us have more than one use, and not all uses are automatically good or evil (1 Timothy 4:4). The biblical understanding of good versus evil does not imply that all things are either perfectly holy or wholly satanic. Rather, there can be good and bad aspects of many of the freedoms God gives us (1 Corinthians 6:12). Likewise, while all sin leads to separation from God, Scripture does speak of some sins as being more heinous than others.
The Bible acknowledges that not every moment in human experience will come with a clear, black-and-white moral answer. Scripture focuses only on the most important points we need to know, not every imaginable scenario (John 21:25). This means even the most sincere, Bible-believing, born-again Christians might disagree on an ethical question (1 Corinthians 10:23–33). The Bible’s answer—when the issue is not covered overtly in God’s Word (1 Corinthians 5:6)—is for tolerance and patience (Titus 3:9). We’re given a conscience for a reason (Romans 14:23).
Truth is objective; for any given opinion or interpretation, someone is right, and someone is wrong. But human beings lack the moral perfection of God; this is reflected in the Bible’s teaching on good versus evil and our role in applying good judgment.
Scripture encourages believers not to apply terms like good, evil, sin, and so forth to issues where there is room for doubt (Romans 14:1–12). Contrary to what some think, the Bible admits that human beings might not always be correct in our moral judgments. We are not to avoid all judgment (John 7:24), but the Bible teaches us to carefully consider when and how we judge (Ephesians 5:10).
Good versus Evil Demands a Response
The Bible’s teaching on good versus evil leads to a challenging conclusion: that every person is obligated to make a fundamental choice between the two. That choice is entirely determined by our response to God, who is both the definition of good and our Creator. Moment by moment, that means either following His will or rebelling and choosing to sin (1 Corinthians 10:13). Eternally, this means we either choose to accept Him and His salvation (John 3:16; 14:6) or align ourselves against Him (John 3:36). While we may be imperfect and fallible, we cannot be neutral in our approach to good versus evil. Our hearts are either seeking the goodness of God (Matthew 7:7–8; Romans 2:4) or the selfishness of evil (1 Peter 3:10–12).
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Leviticus 19:11-18 – Moral and Ceremonial Laws
Lev 19:11 ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. 12 And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 13 ‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. 14 You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord. 15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. 17 ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Psalm 12 – Man’s Treachery and God’s Constancy
Ps 12:1 Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
2 They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, And the tongue that speaks proud things,
4 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; Who is lord over us?”
5 “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy,
Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
6 The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.
7 You shall keep them, O Lord, You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
8 The wicked prowl on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
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Psalm 52 – The End of the Wicked and the Peace of the Godly
Ps 52:1 Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually.
2 Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3 You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah
4 You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue.
5 God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous also shall see and fear, And shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “Here is the man who did not make God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance of his riches, And strengthened himself in his wickedness.”
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
9 I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.
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Proverbs 6:16-19 – The Wicked Man
Pro 6:16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
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Proverbs 11:1-12 – The Folly of Wickedness
Pro 11:1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.
7 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead.
9 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, But a man of understanding holds his peace.
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Proverbs 12:22 – The House of the Righteous Shall Stand
Pro 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
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Proverbs 24:28-29 – Further Sayings of the Wise
Pro 24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?
29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”
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Isaiah 5:20-25 – Impending Judgment on Excesses
Is 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!
22 Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, Woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink,
23 Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!
24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff,
So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust;
Because they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
25 Therefore the anger of the Lord is aroused against His people; He has stretched out His hand against them
And stricken them, And the hills trembled. Their carcasses were as refuse in the midst of the streets.
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Isaiah 29:15-16 – The Blindness of Disobedience
Is 29:15 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord,
And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”
16 Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;
For shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?
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Isaiah 47:8-15 – The Humiliation of Babylon
Is 47:8 “Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely,
Who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me;
I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children’;
9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood.
They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries,
For the great abundance of your enchantments.
10 “For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’;
Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you;
And you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
11 Therefore evil shall come upon you; You shall not know from where it arises.
And trouble shall fall upon you; You will not be able to put it off.
And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, Which you shall not know.
12 “Stand now with your enchantments And the multitude of your sorceries,
In which you have labored from your youth— Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail.
13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers,
And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall come upon you.
14 Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame;
It shall not be a coal to be warmed by, Nor a fire to sit before!
15 Thus shall they be to you With whom you have labored, Your merchants from your youth;
They shall wander each one to his quarter. No one shall save you.
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Ezekiel 18:4-9 – A False Proverb Refuted
Ez 18:4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.
5 But if a man is just And does what is lawful and right;
6 If he has not eaten on the mountains, Nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
Nor defiled his neighbor’s wife, Nor approached a woman during her impurity;
7 If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge;
Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;
8 If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase,
But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man;
9 If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully—He is just; He shall surely live!” Says the Lord God.
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Matthew 5:21-22 – Murder Begins in the Heart
Mt 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
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Matthew 5:27-30 – Adultery in the Heart
Mt 5:27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
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Matthew 15:18-20 – Defilement Comes from Within
Mt 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
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Matthew 18:21-35 – The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Mt 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. … 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
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Matthew 24:48-51 – The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
Mt 24:48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Mark 7:20-23 – Defilement Comes from Within
Mk 7:20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
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Mark 10:17-19 – Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
Mk 10:17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”
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Romans 1:28-32 – God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
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Romans 8:12-13 – Sonship Through the Spirit
Ro 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God
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Romans 12:9-21 – Love in Action
Ro 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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Romans 14:11-14 – Put on Christ
Ro 14:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
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Romans 16:17-20 – Avoid Divisive Persons
Ro 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – Do Not Sue the Brethren
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
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Galatians 5:19-21 – Walking in the Spirit
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 6:7-10 – Be Generous and Do Good
Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Ephesians 4:25-32 – Do Not Grieve the Spirit
Ep 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
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Ephesians 5:1-7 – Walk in Love
Ep 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
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Colossians 3:5-11 – Not Carnality but Christ
Col 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
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2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 – God’s Final Judgment and Glory
2Th 1:6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
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James 4:13-17 – Do Not Boast About Tomorrow
Jam 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
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1 Peter 2:1-3 – Our Inheritance Through Christ’s Blood
1Pe 2:3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
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Revelation 3:14-21 – The Lukewarm Church
Rev 3:14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, …15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
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Revelation 21:7-8 – All Things Made New
Rev 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
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GOD'S RESPONSE TO THE DECEPTION
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Romans 1:18-20 – God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity (NIV)
Ro 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
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Hosea 4:6 – God’s Charge Against Israel
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
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Matthew 23:15 – Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees
Mt 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
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GOD'S WRATH ON UNRIGHTEOUSNESS
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Romans 1:18-32 – God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity (NIV)
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Ro 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
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21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.
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24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
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26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
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28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
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Consequences for rejecting God (Ro 1:24-32)
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People are without excuse (v20), but if they reject God anyway, there are consequences
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There is no excuse for not knowing God – even without the gospel – because we have His creation
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You can know God through His creation – God’s creation is an intelligent design, not an incidental accident
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Ps 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
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God gave them over (paradidomi)
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In English, this has the sense of God doing something to them
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In Greek, the word paradidomi has the sense of God taking his hands off, God lets go
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to give into the hands (of another)
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to give over into (one's) power or use
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to deliver to one something to keep, use, take care of, manage
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If you choose not to respond to God, God will respect that and he’ll let go
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Dr. John (Jack) Donne – 17th century poet
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In a 1640 sermon, he states “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; but to fall out of the hands of the living God is a horror beyond our expression, beyond our imagination.”
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If God punishes you for what you’ve done, that’s a fearful thing. But far worse is God taking His hands off and letting go.
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In these verses, God takes His hands off and a natural sequence of events takes place
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Listed consequences
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They exchanged the truth of God for a lie
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They worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator
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God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another – God gave them over to shameful lusts
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They exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones
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God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
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They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity
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They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.
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They are gossipers, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful
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They invent ways of doing evil
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They disobey their parents
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They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
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Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
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In His love and mercy, God slowly turns a people over to themselves in judgement. There are 3 stages of this judgement:
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He gives them up to uncleanness (impure heart) – in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies​
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24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.​
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He gives them up to vile passions (impure body) – exchanging the natural use of their bodies for unnatural
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26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.​
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He gives them up to a debased mind – to do those things which are not fitting
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28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ​
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Nahum 1:2- 11 – God’s Wrath on His Enemies
Na 1:2 God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious.
The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies;
3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked.
The Lord has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers.
Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts.
5 The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt,
And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it.
6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger?
His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies.
9 What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
10 For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.
11 From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor.
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2 Thessalonians 2:6-12 – The Great Apostasy
2Th 2:6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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2 Corinthians 4:2-4 – The Light of Christ’s Gospel
2Co 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
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What is the Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God sermon?
https://www.gotquestions.org/sinners-in-the-hands-of-an-angry-God.html
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Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is a sermon that was preached by Jonathan Edwards on a few (likely three) occasions, but most famously on July 8, 1741, in Enfield, Connecticut. That day, God used Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God to produce powerful conviction and repentance among those who heard it, with many people coming to faith in Christ. It is the most famous sermon of the first Great Awakening and one of the most famous sermons in Christian history.
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God uses Deuteronomy 32:35 as its starting point, particularly the clause “their foot shall slide in due time.” The message of the sermon can be summarized: “It is only the mercy of God the keeps people from falling into hell, and God is free to withdraw that mercy at any moment.” In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards used vivid illustrations of hell and the perilousness of life in order to force people to consider the reality of their eternal destiny and to invoke a decision to receive Jesus Christ as Savior.
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is definitely a “hellfire and brimstone” sermon. Many question this method of evangelism. The idea of scaring a person into trusting in Christ is offensive to some. However, hell truly is a horrible place (Revelation 20:10-15). And many people do not understand the urgency of their need of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). There is a time and a place for a sermon such as Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. It, and sermons like it, played a crucial role in the first Great Awakening.
The complete text of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God can be found below:
SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD
Their foot shall slide in due time. (Deuteronomy 32:35)
In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works towards them, remained (as verse 28) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. The expression I have chosen for my text, Their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following doings, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed.
1. That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm 73:18, “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou casted them down into destruction.”
2. It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm 73:18-19, “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou casted them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!”
3. Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.
4. That the reason why they are not fallen already, and do not fall now, is only that God’s appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost.
The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.” By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God’s mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment. The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations.
1. There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men’s hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands.—He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God’s enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?
2. They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God’s using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, “Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?” Luke 13:7, The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back.
3. They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John 3:18, “He that believeth not is condemned already.” So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John 8:23, “Ye are from beneath.” And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God’s word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.
4. They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell.
So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.
5. The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke 6:12, The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.
6. There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God’s restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isaiah 57:20, For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;” but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God’s restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into a fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.
7. It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell, that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expense of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked man, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God’s hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case.
8. Natural men’s prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men’s own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Ecclesiastes 2:16, “How dieth the wise man? even as the fool.”
9. All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.
But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell ever to be the subjects of that misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction came upon me.
10. God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant.
So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men’s earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction.
So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.
APPLICATION
The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ.—That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.
You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his band, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.
Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God’s enemies. God’s creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.
The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.
The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart,
by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.
The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.
O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. And consider here more particularly
1. Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Proverbs 20:2, “The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul.” The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4-5, “And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”
2. It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isaiah 59:18, “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries.” So Isaiah 66:15. “For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.” And in many other places. So, Revelation 24:15, we read of “the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, “the wrath of God,” the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is “the fierceness and wrath of God.” The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful must that be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also “the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!
Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezekiel 8:18, “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only “laugh and mock,” Proverbs 1:25-26.
How awful are those words, Isaiah 63:3, which are the words of the great God. “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, vis. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favor, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you, in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
3. The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Romans 9:22, “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isaiah 33:12-14, “And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.”
Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isaiah 66:23-24, “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.”
4. It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?”
How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before to-morrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day’s opportunity such as you now enjoy!
And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit. How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield (a town in the area), where they are flocking from day to day to Christ?
Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God’s mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God.—And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings?
And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now harken to the loud calls of God’s word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favors to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men’s hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles’ days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God’s Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.
How Bible Truth Overcomes Deception: Part 1 :: By Gene Lawley
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As I am prone to reflect over the past, a mental activity that seems to capture the aged, I have to admit a desire to clarify what I believe and why, even again to myself. Pushing that thought is the evidence of false prophets and doctrines coming to the forefront in these last days, just as the Scriptures have projected.
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Paul warned Timothy, even in those days, of what was coming: “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them” (2 Timothy 3:13-14). Timothy had learned the truths of the Scriptures from his mother and grandmother, but essentially, he learned from the Word of God those foundational principles which could sustain him in the midst of evil. And so it is today, as well, for it is evident that evil forces are magnified against the Lord and His followers in our time.
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Pressing me to recount these things are four verses that stand out. Jude 1:3 brings me back to base one, saying, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” That body of faith he speaks of came from his half-brother, Jesus Christ, and the Apostles, not from the deliberations of later men. And the Scriptures are where we find that body of faith.
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God spoke to Jeremiah, saying, “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Next, Jesus was talking with the woman at the well in Samaria, saying, “God is spirit, and they who worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Worship not with things made by hands, nor with false motives, but in truth. Identify God rightly that worship may be in truth, as the Scriptures make Him known.
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Then, may my hope be not wishful thinking, but as Hebrews 6:19 describes it: “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.” It is not at all like God giving His only Son for our salvation, then turning away to abandon His investment. Paul assures us otherwise in Philippians 1:29, saying, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
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Finally, not being satisfied with uncertainty but being as diligent as I can to find the truth with clarity, I consider 1 Corinthians 14:6 as very important: “For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?”
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Since having “discovered” Proverbs 9:10, the foundation of my theological positions has a more clearly defined standard. That verse says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Fear of God is sometimes expressed as, “But for the fear of God, I would have done ….” So, it is a very worthy bulwark against evil, and also a safety hatch for the wary.
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It is defined, for me, as the recognition of One of reverence and justice—the attributes of love and of justice, or judgment. Then, it makes sense of that second part of the Proverb, “knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Having these thoughts, first, brings a biblical doctrine into understanding, particularly where the Scriptures take a turn that seems to be contrary to an idea of what God is like. A simple and common example of such things is that “God is love; therefore, how could He send anyone to hell?” When one does not factor into the equation God’s attributes, man’s conclusions go haywire. Bible truth tells us that man goes to hell by refusing to believe and accept Christ’s gift of salvation.
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As I have thought some about where I stand in the great sea of “doctrine followers,” I have to conclude that I am a “Berean Bible Believer” in the likeness of Acts 17:11:
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“These [Bereans] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (The original KJV uses the words “more noble” rather than “fair-minded” in the verse, which I think is better.)
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By “searching the Scriptures,” they were seeking the whole counsel of God, which is basic to finding the Bible’s doctrinal truths.
“Knowledge of the Holy One” is to recognize that all of God’s attributes must be applied to a question of doctrinal truth. Objecting to or leaving one out as “not to be considered” is a direct offense to the sovereignty of God.
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Numbers 23:19 tells us of basic attributes of God, in that “He is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent” or change His mind. It is also important to realize that God and Jesus do not contradict themselves.
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“Rightly dividing the Word of Truth” is a principle of value when determining the meaning and application of a Scripture, as in its placement in the timeline of God’s plan for the ages or in relation to other passages. One of the notable examples of failure in this area is the doctrine of Preterism, where all things prophetic happened in the first century. Hardcore followers of this doctrine believe that when Jesus talks to the original twelve disciples, He always teaches prophecy of the future as being experienced by those twelve disciples. The truth is that when Jesus speaks of future events beyond the generation of those original twelve, He is speaking in the sense of His eternal foreknowledge of the events, and “this generation [that] shall not pass away until all these things are fulfilled” is the one which exists at that future time.
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There is absolutely no way the events that Jesus foretold, or even as the Apostle Paul did likewise, can be squeezed into those vague times of that first century. If the crucifixion of Christ was in 33 A.D., it would leave only 37 years until the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple at 70 A.D. The multitude of end-time events would have to be stacked in layers to have all of them happening during that short time.
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Consider for a moment what might have been the result had Jesus come back at His second time in that first century. Here is how Jesus foretold His future second coming:
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“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:29-31).
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This is coming after the future tribulation period and will include the raptured saints (elect) from all parts of heaven, not earth. When did the Rapture happen, then the seven years of tribulation, in those 37 years before 70 A.D. arrived? Did anyone report on this happening in that first century, either in the Scriptures or in secular history reports? Certainly not! One of the basic principles that enter into Bible interpretation is common sense. If the various events that are being crammed into that 70 A.D. event could be done without violating any of the other factors of Bible truth, one would still have to deal with common sense and a question of just what God’s ultimate purpose might be. A chronological format of the whole Bible lends dramatically to its understanding and interpretation.
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There is a caution with common sense that must be considered. It must spring out of that Proverb 9:10 introduced earlier, which says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” for man’s wisdom will not satisfy the requirements of God’s blessing. When someone comes forward with a pre-conceived idea that seems to make sense, and he attempts to find authority for it in the Scriptures, he is “outside, looking in” instead of “inside” with God’s wisdom and “looking out” to its application. That is the essential meaning of Proverb 9:10b, “And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding,” in regard to its application.
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The clamor of “Calvinist thinking” today that proclaims, “God chose me, and I had nothing to do with it,” seems to make sense, for God is definitely sovereign. So, can’t He do whatever He wants to do? Am I, then, a heretic for proclaiming that God cannot violate any of His attributes of character? While God is a God of love, He is also a just God who cannot tolerate sinfulness in any shape or form. So, when a parable’s teaching is summed up, as in that Matthew 22:1-14 parable of the wedding feast, with this statement, what must be the conclusion: “Many are called, but few are chosen?” Weigh that against 2 Peter 3:9, which declares, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance!”
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Believing the gospel and receiving the gift of salvation are the essential elements of obtaining eternal life, and they call for a willingness to be acted upon by mankind. God’s secret weapon is the embedded knowledge of right and wrong in the human conscience. Everyone has it, as detailed in Romans 2:13-16, and mankind is held accountable and responsible to God for his response to that knowledge in regard to his destiny. Thus, God invites by conviction, and man responds—yes or no.
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The acronym describing Calvinism, TULIP, stands on certain Scriptural truths that are foundationally established. The T represents “Total Depravity of mankind” and is an unwavering truth from Adam’s fall, yet remember that embedded knowledge of right and wrong that he received when he disobeyed. Calvinists seem to ignore its place in God’s method of “awakening the dead man,” as mentioned above. The U-L-I are dependent on faith for their effectiveness. “Unconditional election” requires no qualifications of persons but only the willingness of the person. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:10, “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” This identifies the elect as those who are so in God’s foreknowledge who will believe and be saved when they hear the gospel.
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“Limited atonement simply means that only those who believe will receive atonement for their sins. Belief is the only requirement. “Irresistible grace” applies only to those whom God, in His foreknowledge, will accept Christ when told of Him. It is obvious that there are those who do resist His grace and end up in hell…because of their unwillingness to believe and be saved. Remember the two roads? One is narrow, and “few there be who find it.” The other is broad, and it is well-traveled.
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“Preservation of the saints” is a truth of the Scriptures totally in the hand of God, for Peter writes of the status of the believer being “kept by the power of God unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last day” (1 Peter 1:5). And there are many more such statements in the Bible.
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There is my understanding of those Bible truths, having considered the whole counsel of God and observed the integrity of the character of the Holy One.
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In Part 2, we will look at other deviations from the truth and compare them with what the Scriptures tell us.
Contact email: andwegetmercy@gmail.com
Watch How Bible Truth Overcomes Deception, Part 2 :: By Gene Lawley
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Another false interpretation of Scripture of the end time is that the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D., while accomplishing all prophecies of the future, also is the time when that prophecy of Daniel, of the “abomination and desolation of the temple” was fulfilled. A careful study of Daniel’s prophecy of that event in Daniel 9:27 will place it at halfway through the seven weeks of years mentioned in the verse, that is, in the middle of the seven years of tribulation detailed in the Book of Revelation, still future at this present time.
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It is perfectly clear that no Roman soldier, leader, or footman stood up in the temple while it was being destroyed and proclaimed openly, “I am God; you must fall down and worship me, now!” This was the time of God’s fulfillment of His judgment of the Jewish people to scatter them among the nations, in finality, until the establishment of a sovereign nation for them on May 14, 1948. For 1,800 years, until about 1870, the land remained desolate, unable to support habitation for lack of annual rainfall. God preserved it for the return of His Jewish people. Mark Twain visited there in 1853 and wrote that it was the most desolate place on earth.
In the Preterist’s view, then, all of the prophecies of Jesus, Paul, John and Peter, in their writings, are merely allegories and symbolism. If that is so, why did God put them in the Holy Scriptures, for what purpose? The convenience of just calling those prophecies as occurring spiritually, not physically, does not give credence to it. When Jesus expanded on Mary’s reference to an end-time resurrection at the time of Lazarus’s death, He made an unqualified foretelling of how it would be then: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Did Jesus lie about His future and ours? No!
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Likewise, when writing to the Thessalonians, explaining how events would unfold at the time of the last days, Paul discussed them as actual future events, speaking of “times and seasons,” of the “Day of the Lord coming as a thief in the night, with sudden destruction” happening then (1 Thessalonians 4:16 through 5:3). How easily many are deceived by listening to a false teacher rather than seeking the Word of Truth…and believing it! The bottom line is that there will be a Rapture of the saints at the beginning of the seven years of tribulation, not afterward. (Can you imagine the struggle it must be to set those seven years somewhere around the time of that 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem and the temple?)
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My take on the Book of Revelation is that it is written in a chronological manner, just like it is indicated so in Revelation 1:19 where the Lord told John to “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” Any other manner proves utterly foolish and faulty.
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Outright misinterpreting a Scripture or totally ignoring its importance in identifying a clear truth of the Word is glaring evidence of intent to deceive and declare a false doctrine. One such case is that of hard-core Calvinists who claim the Scriptures teach that Christ did not die for all mankind, but only for those who believe in Christ. They tell me that John 3:16 should be read this way: “For God so loved the world [of believers] that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” First of all, “world” means people, all of them, and “whosoever,” as I have underlined, means anyone who believes is saved. “Whosoever” means anyone without restriction, and notice that if “world” means only believers, then “whosoever” contradicts that position.
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The Scriptures plainly refute that position elsewhere, too. Look at 1 John 2:2, which says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” Another verse is just as clear: “…because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10b). This clearly is not announcing universal salvation, as some have claimed, then refuting that concept as a truth of Scripture, and rightly so. Salvation is made available; just believe in Jesus.
Romans, chapter five, delves deeply into the contrast of Adam’s sin having brought all mankind into judgment, but the sacrifice of Christ has provided a gift of eternal life that will allow man to escape that judgment. But what is it that makes a gift become personal to the intended party? It is acceptance of that gift. Romans 5:18 lays it out plainly: “Therefore, as through one man’s offense, judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”
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Finally, this quote from the Old Testament (Joel 2:32) that Paul uses in Romans 10:13 (“Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved”) and its context locks in the truth that believing and receiving that gift of salvation is available to anyone; otherwise, whosoever does not mean whosoever, and God contradicts His own attribute of being no respecter of persons (shows no partiality). That is, as 2 Peter 3:9 proclaims, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Thus, one who is repentant of his sins and calls on the Lord will be saved. He is the one whom God chooses, for no one will be in heaven who does not want to be there.
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God’s foreknowledge tells Him who will believe, when once that person hears the gospel, is convicted of his sin, and believes. The picture the Lord gives of the two roads being traveled exemplifies that truth. In Matthew 7:13-14, He describes one way to life and another way to destruction. How is this, then, if God is not willing that any should perish? Man must choose.
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Another interpretation and deviation from the truth of Scripture has to do with the supposed manner of the Antichrist’s deception of himself in Revelation 13. It has been claimed and then spread about that when John sees one head of the beast being mortally wounded, then surviving again, it is the Antichrist being killed and then resurrecting. Thus, he deceptively presents himself as the Christ to the Jews.
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The truth is, first, that the only head of the beast, as a ruling regime over the world, was Rome, and it died away to return in the future as that misty, unclear seventh head of the beast. Such is acknowledged, now, that a return of that “head” is the United Europe, as it struggles to unite fully. The New World Order proclaims that future goal.
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But about the perceived deception of the Antichrist, he does not need that kind of deception, for the Jews are definitely not looking for a Messiah who has nail holes in his hands, nor a wound in his side. They effectively wrote off that possibility when they cried out at the trial of Jesus, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! Let His blood be on our hands and on the hands of our children!” When Daniel 9:27 comes to pass, and the Antichrist enables Israel to obtain a seven-year peace covenant authorized by the United Nations and then allows them to rebuild their temple, that is when he appears to them as one on a white horse of peace and friendship. He is the one they think is the glorified one for them.
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Then, halfway through that seven-year period, which Jeremiah calls “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), he cancels their temple worship. Then he demands that they worship him instead, and they realize their error.
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In Zechariah 12:10, God says, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
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Presently, the Jews are not looking for a Messiah who has nail holes in His hands, but at a future time, they will be looking at Him whom they have pierced and accepting Him for who He really is. Are Preterists skipping this actual event as a “spiritual happening” and not one of mortal content while they are fixed on the coming of a “new heaven and a new earth coming down from heaven” as the next thing on ‘God’s timetable? Truthfully told in the Scriptures, it is at least 1,007 years, plus that unknown time until the Rapture, before that event of Revelation 21:1 comes to pass!
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“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20b).
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Now to Part 3.
Contact email: andwegetmercy@gmail.com
Addendum:
There is a four-step study method that brings one to search the Scriptures with the diligence that Acts 17:11 portrays, and perhaps the reader has used it already. However, if it is new to the reader, following are those steps that are useful for studying a verse, a passage, a chapter, or perhaps even a whole epistle:
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What does the passage say? (Outline or summarize it.)
Where else does it say this? (Search for cross-references.)
What does it say that I don’t understand? (Write out questions.)
What does it say to me? (What is its application to me?)
Watch How Bible Truth Overcomes Deception, Part 3 :: By Gene Lawley
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We approach this next issue of Bible interpretation that is contrary to the very Scriptures as they are written; the words of Jude 1:3 are made more imperative. Jude wrote this, and it is clearly a worthy addition to the accepted inspired Word of God:
“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
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The first topic for discussion is called “Replacement Theology” and has threaded itself into the fabric of many church denominations with the quiet approval, it seems, of their leaders. There is a lot of theological reasoning behind it, that is, the general meaning that God has replaced Israel with the church.
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Those of that persuasion maintain that the Jewish people have no right to the land of Israel that was once given to the family of Abraham. What I hear is that the PLO has the right to the land, but if the church replaces Israel, how does the PLO fit into the picture? And why is some denomination of the church now holding the land instead of Israel?
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Actually, there is more to it than land, for Replacement Theology seems to hang on the transmission from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant identified by the shed blood of Christ for the sins of mankind.
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Did the New Covenant supersede the Old Covenant made by the children of Israel at the presentation of the law by Moses? And thus, did it leave behind the Jewish people as no longer the “apple of God’s eye”? Not so much! Faith has been the underlying thread of God’s plan for mankind since the beginning. “The just shall live by faith” is noted in the Old Testament minor prophet, Habakkuk (2:4), and is repeated in the New Testament three times. In Genesis 12, it is noted that “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Do those who want to say that God no longer has anything to do with Israel not read the Scriptures?
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In Romans, Paul discusses in three chapters—9, 10, and 11—the setting aside of Israel, but only for a time, and not for all. “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). “In part” leaves an open door for any Jew to accept Jesus Christ as his Messiah. When the last Gentile comes to Christ, then God’s attention returns to Israel for her judgment for disobedience in seven years of tribulation solely meant for Israel and the lost world who have not accepted Christ.
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In Zechariah 12:10, we are told that the Jewish people will turn to Christ, “looking upon Him whom they have pierced and mourning for Him.” God has not replaced Israel with anyone, for He is not a God who changes His mind after making a promise. Even Paul declares that the gospel he presents is “for the Jew first, then the Gentile,” and he followed that commitment until he discovered the Jews were blinded to the truth, as Romans 11:25, above, tells us.
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Likewise, in other deviations from biblical truth, people apparently start “outside of truth,” then go into the determination of it with preconceived ideas they seek to justify from the Word, as I have touched on earlier. The claim that baptism in water is required for salvation is one of such faults. Mark 16:16 is the main “justifier” of that position. It says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Note that salvation is not available to those who do not believe.
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Lack of baptism, here and in many other passages, has no bearing on one’s salvation. It is an effort of the flesh, and no entry of man’s efforts to be saved are acceptable to God. See John 1:11-13 and Romans 10:9-10, where baptism is not mentioned as a requirement.
A chronological following of the events in Revelation is intended, as Revelation 1:19 indicates in these words. “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this” clears up a lot of questions in that book. Pre-trib Rapture is identified clearly there, as is the timing of the thousand-year reign of Christ. It seems that a desire to invent a belief or doctrine having the author’s name on it may be an underlying force that is behind such deviations from Scripture. Or, could it be that the enemy of God is always on the lookout for an opportunity to sidetrack a believer from the central truth of the Bible? That is an ongoing need for keen alertness, for these deviations will penetrate our foundations of faith…if we let them.
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How are the Jehovah’s Witnesses doing these days? It may be that something has happened in their basic beliefs, for a recent copy of their “Watchtower” gave a section to the elevation of Jesus to deity and the One through whom salvation must come. In their historic position, their argument was that references to “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” in John 1 was incorrectly capitalizing the latter God name because Jesus is not God—they maintained. So you can see that there has been a great change with them if now Jesus is God, or even recognized as the sole source of salvation.
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Despite all of the notable prominence given to the Roman Catholic Church, it has many man-made doctrines that are easily identified and rebuked by Scripture. Their claim of the full right of representing God in the world since the earliest centuries following that first century when the Lord Jesus and the apostles were active is based on the erroneous interpretation of Scripture. Look at Matthew 16:13 and following, where Peter identifies Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus declares that He would build His church on that rock which Peter identified.
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Identifying that rock as Peter, a small stone, and then naming him as the first pope of the church creates some real complications. For instance, Peter is not named in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, nor are there any scriptural references to Peter having such a position, let alone the absence of any evidence of a Roman Catholic Church existing until at least two or three centuries later. It is evident that this church is built on a mortal foundation, not spiritual.
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As well, then, we learn in the New Testament, well before the end of that first century, that Peter is identified as the apostle to the Jews and Paul the apostle to the Gentiles. So, what kind of confusion does that produce? A considerable amount, for sure. Most notable of their false doctrines is that of proclaiming that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is of equal deity with Him, and a person can ask Mary to tell Jesus what to do. It is idolatry in great form. See what the Scripture says about that in Luke 1:47 from Mary’s song: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (One of deity does not need a savior.)
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Another is their claim that Mary remained a virgin for all of her life. It is an outright denial of the testimony of Scripture in several places. One of real prominence is found in Matthew 13:55, where Jesus’ family came to see Him, and the religious leaders identified Jesus as the carpenter’s son: “Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, and Joses, Simon, and Judas?” In another place is revealed that He had sisters also. In Galatians 2, the Apostle Paul named James “the Lord’s brother.”
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Several other practices that are contrary to Scripture are such that they can be easily done without any spiritual connection whatsoever. A major disconnect from truth that underlies the foundation of beliefs held by the Roman Catholic Church is that the members are led to believe that their eternal destiny can be taken care of—for them—by another person as sinful as they are. Only God can forgive sins, and He will do that readily when asked by the one of a sincere heart.
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When I visit a Catholic Church for a friend’s wedding or a funeral, I find two immediate things facing me—a statue of a woman holding a baby, then turning to the front, a figure hanging on a cross. Recently I realized what those images were meant to say. The first showed humanity excelling over deity in life, and the second, humanity overcoming deity in death. Thus, Mary is proclaimed as deity in charge of the Crist, and Jesus remains on the cross, not completing His purpose of justification for the true believer. Satan rejoices at the picture he has displayed to the world in his warfare with God. And that explains the deceptions of the Roman Catholic Church, which are many.
There are two “musts” in the Bible that are essential: “You must be born again” in John 3:3, and “You must worship God in spirit and in truth” in John 4:24.
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Contact email: andwegetmercy@gmail.com