I am speaking of those who are repeatedly guilty in the flesh. They would be even more guilty in the practice of presumptuous sin.
Ultimately, this is blasphemous to the teachings of God's Word. God's forgiveness of our sin is eternal. But, there are consequences to the commission of willful sin in the belief beforehand that God will make it all right- presumptive in believing by doing so God has granted permission.
Paul was very adamant that pastors and teachers are held to an even greater standard.
Would a church or body of believers be led by such a person? It seems the body of elders would be remiss if they allowed such a person to lead worship or serve in any capacity of leadership.
I believe God has the power to forgive even the most vile of sinners, and unlike us the power also to forget. But to repair such a rift with God is on the shoulders of the sinner in genuinely seeking forgiveness instead of assuming it!
If we viewed the sins and transgressions of any one of us as torn pieces of a picture, God has the power to tape us back together. The damaged image would again be whole, but the seams created by our memories have to remain as lessons to us; thus consequences.
It seems to me evident that the person standing before God should be disqualified to lead others because that is not in accordance with the Scriptures.
Yes I agree, Rkroller with what you've shared here. Except, if such a sinning pastor/elder/teacher continues on in ministry, who then will remove him? Would any of the council/eldership call for his removal? As the world is continually numbed down in relation to serious moral/ethical matters, so to this apathy & fear of man has crept into the Church & made her a diluted misdirected group of ignorant souls, showing none of the Glory & Power of the Lord by their presence in the world. Of course, we might not know of God's Spirit's Work in that leader's life & that if he continues, that God Himself might remove him, so it is up to each Bible-believing, Bible-searching member of the Fellowship to judge his/her own position in such a situation. And of course, it's not only sins of the flesh that are brought to account, but also the great sin of mistreatment of God's Word. Anyway, how many of them are out there in the Churches, deceiving & being deceived?
How many? As many as fall willing victims to the Great Deceiver!
But here is the rub. We know the logs in our own eyes, and it makes us loathe to speak of the splinters in the eyes of someone glorying in a false sense of security, and thereby harming and soiling the very bride of Christ!
Is it more fearful to risk the approval of others than to fail to stand upon God's Word? I cannot balance my own sinful nature against another, and surely any sense of righteousness is like unto a filthy rag in the eyes of God.
I therefore pose a question based upon the Truth. Would any Christian parent be so willing to see their children led down a pathway to hell due to fear of condemnation?
What I am aiming toward in this discussion is the spiritual health of a body of believers.
Paul lashed out in I Corinthians against the behavior of a single member of that church and directed them to do what he would certainly do if he were present; put him out of the church.
As we know in the subsequent letter, Paul advised that they comfort - therefore forgive - that individual so as to spare him over much sorrow. But this did not imply that this individual be elevated to leadership! Such a matter has to fall within the purview of church government in the elders.
In all of the twists and turns of this discussion, arguments have been made from solid perspectives. The questions we need to ask of ourselves is whether or not we enter upon a search for answers with our own opinions in tow, or whether we ask for guidance in discerning that which is right and that which is wrong.
We should begin kneeling - not standing and preening. It is better to be a humble believer knowing that God is Love. He is also Holy and Just. Are we not also called to seek obedience to those attributes?
Great thoughts there Rkroller & I can see your passion & concern over Christ's Church, for her development, & the accountability of both the leadership & the laity. As I read through it, my mind drifted to the fledgling NT Church, where the new members brought into the Church Body were very likely ignorant of not only the OT Scriptures, but also Christ's requirements for His Church. They would have been highly dependent on the apostles & those especially taught by them to take over in leadership, pastoring, & teaching, for their instruction in the faith & godly living.
The Church today, and I'm thinking more of the independent gatherings (i.e. those not governmental in structure), as probably having a good number of folk (both men & women) that might be better versed in theology & arguments in defence of the faith, than the elder/pastor himself. And this can be quite daunting to the one appointed to leadership, yet as you intimated, the Body is not in competition with each other to outdo one another, but in love & servitude, ensure the spiritual health & well-being of all. It might be that the leader might need help here - and so we need to lay all the matters, including our weaknesses & deficiencies, with the Holy Spirit Who will always ensure each individual develops into Christ-likeness & Christ's Church will remain vibrant & true to their Lord. But when wilfulness & sin are apparent & not addressed according to biblical guidance & warnings, I believe that Church is marked for rejection & self-destruction; and we have enough examples of this in Revelation chapters 2 & 3. These might exist as an external structure & a form of godliness, yet of no use in the Master's Hands & their light all but extinguished. The quality of the leaders both in biblical knowledge & Christian graces is paramount if the Church is to be led aright & experience the fullness of God's blessings.
Thank you for your good question Kr00031. I have tried to do a little research on this by examining other verses with this 'anomaly'. And though I can't be sure about it in every case, my guess is that in the KJBible, quotation marks are not used to indicate someone's speech or a quotation from a source.
So, in today's English usage, if I were to write, Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone...." ( Matthew 4:4), I would use quotation marks front & rear of the sentence to indicate Jesus' Words. But in the writing of the KJB, quotation apparently weren't employed but capitalizing the first letter after the speech or quotation, indicated the start of it.
You can look at the following examples to see how this works: Matthew 2:8 (Go); Matthew 2:23 (He); Matthew 3:3 (The); Matthew 3:15 (Suffer). I think you will get the idea of how the first letter of the first word is capitalized when a message is uttered or a verse is quoted.
Thank you for your thoughts and adding to the discussion.
Yes, we are to reap; however, we are still called to sow the seed. Matthew 28: 18-20. This is because we don't know when the LORD JESUS comes and our work is ended here on earth. We keep sowing, because GOD is not willing that any one perish, but all come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.
For one plants, another waters, but GOD gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6-11
We sow through CHRIST JESUS in our testimony, and witness as people see our daily relationship with our SAVIOR. In our sharing and declaring of the Salvation of the LORD. Titus 2:11-14.
GOD bless you in your ministry of faith. November 29, 2023
Yes,one plants,another waters,but GOD gives the increase.JESUS said:in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,Gather ye together first the tares,and bind them in bundles to burn them:but it shall be in the end of this world.And gather the wheat into my barn.Yes,our GOD will give the increase(The Word is GOD,self-executable),and you know that He calls those things which be not as though they were- Romans 4:17
JESUS said,he that reapes receives wages,and gathers fruit unto LIFE ETERNAL(it's marvelous):that both he that sowes(JESUS sowed)and he that reaps(under the command of JESUS)may(both)rejoice together
Re.11:15-18
15The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the kingdoms of our Lord,and of His Christ;and He shall reign for ever and ever
16And the four and twenty elders,which sat before GOD on their seats,fell upon their faces,and worshipped GOD
17Saying,We give thee thanks,O Lord God Almighty-JESUS-,which art,and was,and art to come;because thou has taken to thee thy great power,and has reigned.(GOD calls those things which be not as though they were- Romans 4:17.The Word is GOD,self-executing)
18And the NATIONS were(WILL BE)angry,and GOD's WRATH is come,and the time of the dead,that they should be Judged,and that GOD should give reward unto His servants the prophets,and to the saints,and them that fear His name,small and great;and should destroy them which destroy the earth
Mat.25:31-34&41&46
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory,and all the holy angels with him,then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory
32Before Him shall be gathered all nations:He shall separate them one from another,as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats
33And He shall set the sheep on His right hand,the goats on the left
34Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand,Come,ye blessed of my Father,inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
41Unto them on the lft hand-Depart from me youCURSED...
Yes, Jesus is God. He is because the Bible says He is, like John 1:1 and many other places. Can someone truly be a Christian and not believe Christ's divinity? Satan deceives even Christians and those deceived seem to remain stubborn and not readily admit they've been conned. It seems no amount of Bible verses even matter at this point. It doesn't matter than 10 says He is God, or 100, they've made up their mind it seems. Jesus's own name Immanuel means "God with us."
Those who seem motivated to campaign against Jesus and attack and try to demean him seem like enemies of Christ. Would someone who loves Jesus do that? The same old tired straw man arguments and flawed human logic is somehow viewed as carrying more weight than the scriptures themselves. Cherry picking and twisting a few verses occurs while ignoring a mountain of clear verses saying Jesus is God, like John 1:1. But as the Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 people will seek out fables and turn to lies to satisfy their fleshly itching ears. It is disgusting.
No, both ARE NOT the same person, of course, that theory is of spiritism, spiritists believe in reincarnation. What GOD made was to give the same spirit of Elijah to John the Baptist, by the way, John was/is an angel of the Lord, he was born by the Word of GOD, I mean by prophecy, according Isaiah 4O and Malachi 3.
By your better understanding, GOD had made the same with Elisha. 2Kings 13-15
13 Elisha took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord GOD of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Luke 9:29-30
29 And as JESUS prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
31 Who appeared IN GLORY, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.
"God sent his word and healed them for their destructions"(Ps.107:20;1-2) God established his mercy and Psalmist speaks,"His mercy endureth forever/ Let the redeemed of the lord say so." Here the word of God covers the entire world. Water serves as a symbol for their deliverance as well as for destruction. "But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground."(Ge.2:6). In the wilderness the Spirit foreshadows the Advent of Jesus Christ, "What shall we drink?/ And he( Moses) cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet." Later we have Elim "twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters."(Ex.15:25-25). The Spirit uses it to develop on of the Two witnesses of cloud and pillar of fire and these are angels ("Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire"-Ps.104:4-6) Martyrdom of Two Witnesses shall explain culmination of Gospel outreach from heaven(fire) and the earth (water)." And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."(Re.11:7) Their power is backed by the Word become flesh,"and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days," The number is a clue to him.
v.4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." Zechariah vision is about Zion and by Min-Max mode of narrative Zerubbabel refers the specific to the end times."These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."(Ze.4:14)
In today's society; we have found a way to extricate our minds from within when it comes to the subject of slavery. What happened hundreds of years ago is someone else's problem or said to be our fault by default as to our race. Closer to home now; of course is the continuing servitude particularly of the sex trade today and that brings attention to the revenue of such a trade.
That; of course comes from those who would exploit such an industry who themselves in actuality are slaves to sin.
Revelation makes it clear; unfortunately that slaves will exist in the end times will exist ( Rev. 6:15). At that time they will be clumped together with all those who attempt to hide from God.
Christ has redeemed us from our state of hopelessness and given us a new life. We have turned from Satan as our master to the Living God ( Ephesians 2:2). A truly redeemed child of God can read a passage such as Isaiah 66:24 and understand how they themselves were an abhorrence in their lost; sinful state. To know that we were under His wrath we proclaim the salvation message. Those who are condemned already ( John 3:18) are not known to us immediately; eventually it will be clear who is saved and who isn't at least by judgment Day. Such amazing love of Christ should motivate us to share the Gospel with others.
I am convinced one reason more people aren't sharing with much conviction is because they have become dumbed down to just how wicked they were; forgotten what they were saved from or in the worst case scenario are really not saved at all but following a form of godliness but denying the power thereof ( 2 Tim. 3:5). It is sobering to remind ourselves that as believers that scripture warns us to stay AWAY from such people.
Satan; I always say is an equal opportunity destroyer. He will take any sin; as seemingly innocuous as gossip and turn it into a full scale conflagration (see warnings in James 3:6). Only Christ frees us from slavery.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
About 15 years ago and several times before that I had a vision of the pure terror involved with the mark of the Beast. I have since told people that I would ask the Lord would give them such insight but not for those who aren't spiritually strong. The Lord has held back the day of Judgment, but it is promised to be worse than any time in the past and future. Mark 13:19 as well as other New Testament passages and Daniel 12 show proof of this. Without Christ we are dragged in; to the sieve of destruction ( Isaiah 30:28). Suddenly the wicked are broken and that without remedy ( Prov. 6:15).
To realize how fearful judgment is apart from Christ I cannot put into words. When we see Mystery Babylon we can't help but be reminded of the American Pie song with its lyrics
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
These remind us of Ecclesiastes 12:4 as well as Lamentations 5:14 along with other stanzas in this song about the Lord taking off and no more joyful music as stated in Revelation 18:22. We are hypnotized by music and media today and its demonic mantras and dulled in our senses with the vulgar obsenities that increasingly assail the rightous. The agenda is out in the open at this point; Satan's hour is about to arrive. Christ comes soon so rejoice
What is adultery in God's eyes?
Is it adultery in the FLESH, or adultery against God in our BELIEFS?
Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Revelation 17:5 And upon HER head was a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS (adulteresses) AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Which is more important to God, removing ministers that commit adultery in the flesh, or sin against God in their beliefs and teachings.
If the are corrected in their BELIEFS, they want sin in the flesh.
God Bless YOU!
Ultimately, this is blasphemous to the teachings of God's Word. God's forgiveness of our sin is eternal. But, there are consequences to the commission of willful sin in the belief beforehand that God will make it all right- presumptive in believing by doing so God has granted permission.
Paul was very adamant that pastors and teachers are held to an even greater standard.
Would a church or body of believers be led by such a person? It seems the body of elders would be remiss if they allowed such a person to lead worship or serve in any capacity of leadership.
I believe God has the power to forgive even the most vile of sinners, and unlike us the power also to forget. But to repair such a rift with God is on the shoulders of the sinner in genuinely seeking forgiveness instead of assuming it!
If we viewed the sins and transgressions of any one of us as torn pieces of a picture, God has the power to tape us back together. The damaged image would again be whole, but the seams created by our memories have to remain as lessons to us; thus consequences.
It seems to me evident that the person standing before God should be disqualified to lead others because that is not in accordance with the Scriptures.
But here is the rub. We know the logs in our own eyes, and it makes us loathe to speak of the splinters in the eyes of someone glorying in a false sense of security, and thereby harming and soiling the very bride of Christ!
Is it more fearful to risk the approval of others than to fail to stand upon God's Word? I cannot balance my own sinful nature against another, and surely any sense of righteousness is like unto a filthy rag in the eyes of God.
I therefore pose a question based upon the Truth. Would any Christian parent be so willing to see their children led down a pathway to hell due to fear of condemnation?
What I am aiming toward in this discussion is the spiritual health of a body of believers.
Paul lashed out in I Corinthians against the behavior of a single member of that church and directed them to do what he would certainly do if he were present; put him out of the church.
As we know in the subsequent letter, Paul advised that they comfort - therefore forgive - that individual so as to spare him over much sorrow. But this did not imply that this individual be elevated to leadership! Such a matter has to fall within the purview of church government in the elders.
In all of the twists and turns of this discussion, arguments have been made from solid perspectives. The questions we need to ask of ourselves is whether or not we enter upon a search for answers with our own opinions in tow, or whether we ask for guidance in discerning that which is right and that which is wrong.
We should begin kneeling - not standing and preening. It is better to be a humble believer knowing that God is Love. He is also Holy and Just. Are we not also called to seek obedience to those attributes?
The Church today, and I'm thinking more of the independent gatherings (i.e. those not governmental in structure), as probably having a good number of folk (both men & women) that might be better versed in theology & arguments in defence of the faith, than the elder/pastor himself. And this can be quite daunting to the one appointed to leadership, yet as you intimated, the Body is not in competition with each other to outdo one another, but in love & servitude, ensure the spiritual health & well-being of all. It might be that the leader might need help here - and so we need to lay all the matters, including our weaknesses & deficiencies, with the Holy Spirit Who will always ensure each individual develops into Christ-likeness & Christ's Church will remain vibrant & true to their Lord. But when wilfulness & sin are apparent & not addressed according to biblical guidance & warnings, I believe that Church is marked for rejection & self-destruction; and we have enough examples of this in Revelation chapters 2 & 3. These might exist as an external structure & a form of godliness, yet of no use in the Master's Hands & their light all but extinguished. The quality of the leaders both in biblical knowledge & Christian graces is paramount if the Church is to be led aright & experience the fullness of God's blessings.
So, in today's English usage, if I were to write, Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone...." ( Matthew 4:4), I would use quotation marks front & rear of the sentence to indicate Jesus' Words. But in the writing of the KJB, quotation apparently weren't employed but capitalizing the first letter after the speech or quotation, indicated the start of it.
You can look at the following examples to see how this works: Matthew 2:8 (Go); Matthew 2:23 (He); Matthew 3:3 (The); Matthew 3:15 (Suffer). I think you will get the idea of how the first letter of the first word is capitalized when a message is uttered or a verse is quoted.
Thank you for your thoughts and adding to the discussion.
Yes, we are to reap; however, we are still called to sow the seed. Matthew 28: 18-20. This is because we don't know when the LORD JESUS comes and our work is ended here on earth. We keep sowing, because GOD is not willing that any one perish, but all come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.
For one plants, another waters, but GOD gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6-11
We sow through CHRIST JESUS in our testimony, and witness as people see our daily relationship with our SAVIOR. In our sharing and declaring of the Salvation of the LORD. Titus 2:11-14.
GOD bless you in your ministry of faith. November 29, 2023
Greetings in Christ JESUS
Yes,one plants,another waters,but GOD gives the increase.JESUS said:in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,Gather ye together first the tares,and bind them in bundles to burn them:but it shall be in the end of this world.And gather the wheat into my barn.Yes,our GOD will give the increase(The Word is GOD,self-executable),and you know that He calls those things which be not as though they were- Romans 4:17
JESUS said,he that reapes receives wages,and gathers fruit unto LIFE ETERNAL(it's marvelous):that both he that sowes(JESUS sowed)and he that reaps(under the command of JESUS)may(both)rejoice together
Re.11:15-18
15The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the kingdoms of our Lord,and of His Christ;and He shall reign for ever and ever
16And the four and twenty elders,which sat before GOD on their seats,fell upon their faces,and worshipped GOD
17Saying,We give thee thanks,O Lord God Almighty-JESUS-,which art,and was,and art to come;because thou has taken to thee thy great power,and has reigned.(GOD calls those things which be not as though they were- Romans 4:17.The Word is GOD,self-executing)
18And the NATIONS were(WILL BE)angry,and GOD's WRATH is come,and the time of the dead,that they should be Judged,and that GOD should give reward unto His servants the prophets,and to the saints,and them that fear His name,small and great;and should destroy them which destroy the earth
Mat.25:31-34&41&46
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory,and all the holy angels with him,then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory
32Before Him shall be gathered all nations:He shall separate them one from another,as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats
33And He shall set the sheep on His right hand,the goats on the left
34Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand,Come,ye blessed of my Father,inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
41Unto them on the lft hand-Depart from me youCURSED...
Huge thread of Bible verses:
Link
Those who seem motivated to campaign against Jesus and attack and try to demean him seem like enemies of Christ. Would someone who loves Jesus do that? The same old tired straw man arguments and flawed human logic is somehow viewed as carrying more weight than the scriptures themselves. Cherry picking and twisting a few verses occurs while ignoring a mountain of clear verses saying Jesus is God, like John 1:1. But as the Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 people will seek out fables and turn to lies to satisfy their fleshly itching ears. It is disgusting.
No one has said Jesus is not a GOD.
But Christ IS NOT Christ's God, and Christ's Father, which is SPIRIT.
Christ's God and Father, is the LIFE in Christ's Body.
As Christ's God and Christ's Father is the LIFE of Christ
Christ's God and Christ's Father hath GIVEN Christ power to have LIFE in HIMSELF.
John 5:26
BY his death and resurrection he is OUR GOD and OUR FATHER.
God with us and in us.
Psalms 136:2 O give thanks to the God of gods, for his mercy endureth forever.
Christ's has GIVEN his children the same POWER he has, by being the LIFE and POWER of his SEED.
When Christ has raised all the DEAD unbelievers at the second resurrection, Christ's saint will exercise that POWER unto JUDGEMENT.
God Bless YOU!
Greetings in Christ JESUS
No, both ARE NOT the same person, of course, that theory is of spiritism, spiritists believe in reincarnation. What GOD made was to give the same spirit of Elijah to John the Baptist, by the way, John was/is an angel of the Lord, he was born by the Word of GOD, I mean by prophecy, according Isaiah 4O and Malachi 3.
By your better understanding, GOD had made the same with Elisha. 2Kings 13-15
13 Elisha took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord GOD of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Luke 9:29-30
29 And as JESUS prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
31 Who appeared IN GLORY, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.
GOD bless
NO, they were two different men, under the control of the SAME SPIRIT.
Ezekiel 36:27 And I will put my spirit IN YOU and CAUSE YOU to walk in my statutes, and keep my judgements and DO THEM.
God Bless you
The correct is to say: GOD gave to John the Baptist the same spirit He had given to Elijah, like was also with Elisha- 2Kings 2:13-15. Take a look.
GOD BLESS
I agree, how ever you want to say it.
Ephesians 4:4 .... ONE SPIRIT ....
God Bless YOU!
v.4 "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." Zechariah vision is about Zion and by Min-Max mode of narrative Zerubbabel refers the specific to the end times."These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."(Ze.4:14)
We haven't heard from Giannis for awhile. I pray everything is well with him and will be back with us soon.
In today's society; we have found a way to extricate our minds from within when it comes to the subject of slavery. What happened hundreds of years ago is someone else's problem or said to be our fault by default as to our race. Closer to home now; of course is the continuing servitude particularly of the sex trade today and that brings attention to the revenue of such a trade.
That; of course comes from those who would exploit such an industry who themselves in actuality are slaves to sin.
Revelation makes it clear; unfortunately that slaves will exist in the end times will exist ( Rev. 6:15). At that time they will be clumped together with all those who attempt to hide from God.
Christ has redeemed us from our state of hopelessness and given us a new life. We have turned from Satan as our master to the Living God ( Ephesians 2:2). A truly redeemed child of God can read a passage such as Isaiah 66:24 and understand how they themselves were an abhorrence in their lost; sinful state. To know that we were under His wrath we proclaim the salvation message. Those who are condemned already ( John 3:18) are not known to us immediately; eventually it will be clear who is saved and who isn't at least by judgment Day. Such amazing love of Christ should motivate us to share the Gospel with others.
I am convinced one reason more people aren't sharing with much conviction is because they have become dumbed down to just how wicked they were; forgotten what they were saved from or in the worst case scenario are really not saved at all but following a form of godliness but denying the power thereof ( 2 Tim. 3:5). It is sobering to remind ourselves that as believers that scripture warns us to stay AWAY from such people.
Satan; I always say is an equal opportunity destroyer. He will take any sin; as seemingly innocuous as gossip and turn it into a full scale conflagration (see warnings in James 3:6). Only Christ frees us from slavery.
Revelation 14:9-11
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
About 15 years ago and several times before that I had a vision of the pure terror involved with the mark of the Beast. I have since told people that I would ask the Lord would give them such insight but not for those who aren't spiritually strong. The Lord has held back the day of Judgment, but it is promised to be worse than any time in the past and future. Mark 13:19 as well as other New Testament passages and Daniel 12 show proof of this. Without Christ we are dragged in; to the sieve of destruction ( Isaiah 30:28). Suddenly the wicked are broken and that without remedy ( Prov. 6:15).
To realize how fearful judgment is apart from Christ I cannot put into words. When we see Mystery Babylon we can't help but be reminded of the American Pie song with its lyrics
I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
These remind us of Ecclesiastes 12:4 as well as Lamentations 5:14 along with other stanzas in this song about the Lord taking off and no more joyful music as stated in Revelation 18:22. We are hypnotized by music and media today and its demonic mantras and dulled in our senses with the vulgar obsenities that increasingly assail the rightous. The agenda is out in the open at this point; Satan's hour is about to arrive. Christ comes soon so rejoice
i was wondering what the mystery of god is
best regards
randall
God bless you.
I appreciate your candid replies.