Abandoned Houses on The Romans
Road
(Unless otherwise noted, all Bible
verses have been taken from the KNJV)
The
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God,
This truth (Romans 3:23) was written after Jesus paid for the sins of
the world. It was after the scourging,
death, and resurrection. After the
resurrection, when some say that mankind has been cleansed of all sin, Paul
reports that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. At this very moment, Christ Jesus is at the
right hand of the Father interceding for us.
Why? Because, sin still affects us!
If there were no sin, Christ would not need to intercede. His continuing intercession is necessary due
to the continuing affects of sin.
The affects of sin will be with us until after the final rebellion at
the end of the Millennium of Peace.
Revelation 20:3---And cast him into the bottomless pit, and
shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no
more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be
loosed a little season.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God loves the world. He loves each and every person in the
world. With the Islamic jihad turmoil
and hatred for Christians and Jews being displayed by Muslims worldwide that may
be difficult to accept, but it is true!
God loves us! But, He does not love our rebellious acts. It is difficult for us to separate men from
their sins, but God does it every time He calls another to His salvation in
Christ.
In the modern age, we may say
that before “we” were sinners Christ died for us. And, since Jesus is the Lamb of God slain
from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), we may also say that before
sin entered the world, Christ died for our sins.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Many Christians do not
believe the first part if this simple statement. The wages of sin is not
eternal torment. The wages of sin is
death. Do yourself a favor and stop
reading now, and go to the KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, or CLV and try to find the words
“eternal torment.” Or, you could save
some time, and tell you---those words are not in the Bible!
Some seek to redefine death
as life in different mode. But, death is death. Many Churches teach
Egyptian/Greek myth of the eternal soul and call it Christian theology. Many Christian denominations are separated by
their view of the fate of the dead. The
fate of the dead should not be considered when discussing the fate of the
saved. The Bible tells us that the wages
of sin is death, and God is in the resurrection business.
As an Aside:
The word “eternal” indicates no beginning and no end. While Christians may qualify for the
description “everlasting,” we are created and no created entity is
eternal! The word translated “eternal”
in this and every other New Testament, in which it appears comes from the Greek
word “aion” or “aionios.” They speak of
things that are age-long. An Age may be
very long, but it comes to an end! This
debate has been going on for decades and we wil not resolve it today.
I teach the Systematic
Reconciliation of mankind to God through Christ Jesus. However, I do not teach that all shall avoid
the
Confession may seem to be a
prerequisite. Actually it is a result of the Holy Spirit at work within the
person that confesses. When you truly
hear God’s call to salvation in Christ, acknowledge your sins and ask for God’s
mercy, it is the result of the Holy Spirit working in you.
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in
you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
The normal
Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Trust in Christ Jesus, plus
confession of your sins and confession of Jesus are the final steps in
salvation. Let me make that more
emphatic. Salvation/Reconciliation is
not granted to any individual until he/she bows and confesses, “Jesus Christ is
Lord!”
That presents a theological
problem for those that teach Eternal Torment or Annihilation.
Romans 14:11 For it is written: "As I live, says
the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to
God."
The Bible says explicitly
that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess. That confession will not be coerced, because
it cannot be coerced! It is only through
the power of God the Holy Spirit that any person is able to truly confess,
Jesus is Lord! 1 Corinthians 12:3---Therefore
I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus
accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
All people will not confess
Christ during this lifetime! But, if you
study it, you will find that there is no Biblical time frame given in any
salvation Scripture. Each and every
person that comes to Christ comes at a predetermined point in time. 1 Corinthians 15:23---“But each one in
his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His
coming.” You may be thinking that this
refers to Christians only. The Greek
text speaks of each man as each and every (Gr. ekastos-ekastoV).
The Greek text in 1
Corinthians 15:23 is not limited to current Christians only. In fact, normal Christian theology does not
make such a limitation. Mainstream
Christian theology teaches that all are resurrected---each and every person in
his own order. But, mainstream theology
says the last group is resurrected to eternal death or annihilation. Think about that. In the entire Bible there is no resurrection
to death. So, why do men teach it? It is the result of non-biblical tradition.
The great judgment will come
at the Great White throne. Why would God
resurrect a person just to tell them what they already know and put them back
into a torment they came from?
Mainstream theology has more than a few problems.
All resurrections are
resurrections to life in Christ Jesus!
Have you every thought about
the mainstream theology Great White Throne Judgment?
Let me explain it.
A man dies without
Christ. He goes directly to hell (the
Later, much later, he pops up
in front of God’s Great White Throne.
Immediately he sees God sitting on the Throne with Christ Jesus at His
right hand.
At that point, even an ACLU
lawyer would concede that Jesus is Lord.
And, since they are anti-Christian, they will understand at that point.
God the Father looks at the
poor wretch and asks, “Why are you here?”
The man says, “I don’t know.”
The Father turns to Christ
and asks, “Do you know him?”
Jesus responds, “I never knew
him.”
The Father then tells the
man, “Get back down there!”
Any ACLU lawyer worth his
salt will, at that point say, “Wait a minute.
Can we discuss this? What are my
options?”
The truth is that the
mainstream view of the Great White Throne Judgment will time of universal
relief from pain!
The fact is that
even a spiritually challenged person, and many (if not all) ACLU lawyers are
spiritually challenged, will admit the obvious.
So, how many will
bow to Christ and confess?
The Bible says
that all shall bow and all shall confess!
How many is
all? All!
Will the
confession be coerced? Never! When confronted by an undeniable fact,
coercion is not needed.
And, may I remind
you that no person can say that Jesus is Lord except by the power of the Holy
Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3).
Let’s go to
another abandoned house on the
Romans 5:19 For as by {the} one man's
disobedience {the} many were made
sinners, so also by {the} One Man's obedience {the} many will
be made righteous.
As you can see, I added the
definite articles and italicized one word.
That will give us better understanding.
The italicized word “man” is not in the Greek text. It is not correct to compare Christ with a
mortal.
By {the} one man's
disobedience {the} many were made sinners.
Do you understand? That statement is mainstream theology among
all Christian groups.
All Christians agree that due
to
The definite article in the
Greek Text indicates that “the many” in both cases is just one group, mankind.
Let me offer you one of those
undeniable facts. Adam’s sin affected
all people!
Those that teach Eternal
Torment or Annihilation teach that Adam’s disobedience has a greater affect on
mankind than Jesus’ obedience. Do you believe that? Adam’s rebellion does affect all people, But,
Jesus’ obedience also affects all people.
Death came to mankind through
the sin of one man, Adam. How many did
death infect? All! Through Adam, death came to all
people! And, through Christ Jesus, Life
came to all people!
1 Corinthians 15:22 as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Jesus’ act of righteousness
was infinitely more powerful than Adam’s sin!
How many were made subject to death because of Adam? All! How many shall be made righteous through
Christ? All!
You may believe that men can
reject life in Christ. Can they also
reject sin in Adam? To teach (as most
Churches do) that men can reject Christ, but not reject sin degrades the King
of Glory, making Him less powerful than Adam!
Have you ever read Romans 10:13? It says, “For ‘whoever calls on the name of
the Lord shall be saved.’”
Do the math!
If all that call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved, and all shall call upon the name of the Lord,…
Somewhere along the way, we
must admit that all shall be restored to fellowship with God through Christ
Jesus!
God’s plan is simple!
Romans 11:32 For God has committed them all to
disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
Why would God do that?
Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and
to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Why don’t we see
that truth? Jews are not the only ones
with a temporary spiritual blindness.
God’s plan
unfolds as a flower. It is revealed
systematically.
Some Side Streets:
Luke 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save that which was lost."
What was lost? All
mankind!
So, if Christ, through the Holy
Spirit does not seek and save mankind, Luke 19:10 is inaccurate. If you want to tell Christ that He lied, go
ahead. I am not that stupid.
John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to
Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
This too is plain, simple,
and straightforward. In the Psalms, the Father told the Son, “Ask of Me, and I
will give You the nations (Heb. Goyim/Gentiles) for Your inheritance, and the
ends of the earth for Your possession (Psalm 2:8).
On the Cross, Jesus looked
down at the representatives of mankind below Him and asked, “Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Your salvation is the result
of that request! The reconciliation of
mankind will be the final result of that request.
Hebrews 10:10 we have been sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Jesus died “once for all!” Do
you have a problem with the extent of God’s plan of redemption?
Christ died once for all sin,
once for all time, once for all people!
Revelation 21:5 Then He who sat on the throne said,
"Behold, I make all things new."
This is another place in the
Bible where Christians have problems with God’s plan. If all things are made new, how can the old death
still affect the majority?
Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse,
Sin resulted in the curse of
death being placed on mankind. In Adam
all die! But, God said there would be no
more curse. No more curse, No more
death! The progression is simple enough.
What is wrong with this picture?
Suppose you went to buy a
new car.
You wanted all the bells, and
whistles.
Money was no object.
What would you buy?
I would buy a limousine, and
hire a driver. But then, I am old!
What’s your favorite
color?
Red?
Red cars get more traffic
tickets.
You may choose a bright red
car that goes from 0-60 so fast it gives you whiplash.
You may want the latest sound
system and a GPS system so you wouldn’t get lost.
To top it off---that new car
will get 183 miles per gallon on alternative fuel.
Your new car is a dream.
You go to the dealership and
pay cash for the car. Front pocket money, chump change. Then comes the moment when the salesperson
brings out your new car, and you officially take delivery.
Your nose is ready for that
new-car smell.
As you look on in unbelief,
the salesperson rolls out one tire.
That’s right, just one tire.
He smiles, gives you the glad
hand, pats you on the back, and says, “Ain’t she a beauty?”
You stand there in shock,
scratch your head, and ask, “What is wrong with this picture?”
Would you take your tire,
roll it down the Interstate (in my case with the chauffer running a along
side), and watch people go by wondering what is going on?
What in the world
does that have to do with Christianity?
Many---far too many---people
are members of the First Church of One-tire Theology.
The Bible says, that Jesus
“is the propitiation [substitute sacrifice] for our sins: and not for ours
only, but also for the sins of the
whole world” (I John 2:2).
On the cross, Jesus paid the
full and complete price for the sins of the entire world, and yet most
Christians think that when it all comes down, Christ will manage to save only a
few.
Have you ever paid the full
price and received just a small portion of what you paid for?
How did it feel?
You may not have been a happy
camper.
What makes us think Jesus
will be happy to get just a portion of what He shed His blood to redeem?
God did not send His Son to
fail. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10).
How much was lost?
The whole thing!
If Jesus is incapable or
unwilling to save all, He failed!
As a sinner, you have no
chance for redemption outside of Christ Jesus. He gave His life to ransom you,
and me, and the rest of the world.
Christianity is a religion of
expectancy. As Christians, we expect
Christ to come back to get us, and He expects to get everything He paid for!
By the way---He paid for
everything!
Jesus is the Savior of the
world!
I John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the
world. (NKJV)
If Jesus is the savior of the
world, but does not save the world, there is a problem with 1 John 4:14. Let me ask, Do you believe 1 John 4:14, or is
it a lie?
The fact is that every knee
shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God (Romans 14:11).
Every knee, including yours,
shall bow. Every tongue, including
yours, shall confess.
Picture yourself, all your
family and friends—and enemies--- standing before the throne of God praising
the Lord Jesus Christ for His sacrifice.
As wild as it may seem, one
day, you and all your loved ones will be there and do that!
Take comfort in the Lord of
all. Christ Jesus is the Lord of Lords
and the King of Kings.
He paid the full and complete
price for you and your family.
Christ will get what He paid
for!
You may consider Jesus’
words, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and
I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44), and consider that a limiting
factor. But, Scripture must be
interpreted in the light of other Scripture.
John 6:44 must be examined in
the light of John 12:32---"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will
draw all peoples to Myself." Christ
was lifted up, and therefore He must draw all to Himself. There are no alternatives.
All Christianity knows “For
by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is
the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). But
have you considered whose grace and whose faith is it that saves us?
By the grace of God, and
through the faith of Christ, we are saved.
The first part of Ephesians 2:8 is well accepted, but man desire to
dominate God has produced a false reading of the faith portion.
The Bible is adamant. No
person is justified before God, or freed from the burden of lawful accusation
through human endeavor. It is only
through the faith of Jesus Christ that we can even believe in Christ (Galatians
2:16a-KJV). The Bible says explicitly
that we are justified by the faith of Christ and not by works. (Gal 2:16)
Human faith is weak at best
and greatly flawed. The faith of Christ
Jesus is strong and not subject to failure.
Christ Jesus “gave Himself a
ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim 2:6). Perhaps now is your
time to see the truth of Christ and rejoice.
Isaiah 55:11
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me
void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
for which I sent it.
John 1:1 In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Christ Jesus is the Word that
goes forth from the Father to seek and to save the lost, to seek and to save
all He has been given. He shall
accomplish what pleases the Father and prosper in that for which He was
sent. There are no alternatives!