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The Great Confusion of God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Will
The truth about man’s will —
How can God be Sovereign if everyone has a free-will? How can any prophecy be assured if those acting within the prophecy have a free-will? How can God control us or accomplish anything with certainty if man is free to reject Him at any point?
Magic…I guess.
I will address these questions. However, the question that should be asked is whether or not God gave man a free-will at all?
I am not going into all the arguments on this as I have in other articles because I want to focus on a few scriptures. But, I do find it important to define what I mean by free-will.
Defining ‘free-will’ — Free will is the ability of man to act independent of God and any influence at all. In truth, if something influences then we ain’t free.
What ‘free-will’ is not:
- Free will is not the ability to make choices. Everyone makes thousands of choices a day. The question is whether those choices are influenced.
- Free will is not man’s will. Every man, woman, and child has a will. Of this, I have no doubt. The question is whether this will operates independent of God and all other influences.
Okay, so scripture says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 7:3). Yet, another scripture says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15). So, which is it? Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart or did Pharaoh harden his own heart?
Answer: Both are true. How?
The answer and a key to truly understand God’s word is in the relative and the absolute perspective. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (absolute perspective). Because God determined that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened, Pharaoh made a decision to harden his heart (relative perspective).
Absolute perspective: God’s complete control over everyone and everything in His creation.
Relative perspective: What God’s creatures do in relation to each other and as a result of God’s plan.
So, this is how man’s will works and how God maintains His Sovereignty:
God determines everything. Then, God causes the circumstances of a person’s life to form wills for them to make choices that align with what He has determined to happen.
The common Christian objection to this truth: “Well, what about when we sin or go against what God says?” Here is a deep truth and one that most miss. In the absolute perspective, God has determined for humans to go against What He says. You think I’m crazy? Let me prove it to you with just a few examples from scripture.
- God forms vessels of dishonor on purpose. In my previous example, this is exactly why God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. The apostle Paul says that God has the right to make people specifically to be vessels of dishonor (Romans 9:21). Why did God do this to Pharaoh? So that God can make known the riches of His glory (Romans 9:23). Remember that because God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, He performed great miracles in Egypt including the parting of the sea. God had planned for Pharaoh to go against His command in order to show His glory and power through these miracles.
- Acts 4: 27-28 says that Herod, Pilate, the nations, and Israel did exactly what God’s hand designated to occur. What did they do? They gathered against and killed Jesus Christ, God’s Son. An evil deed don’t you think and yet, God did this to save all mankind.
- In the book of Genesis, Joseph’s brothers conspired to kill him but ended up selling him into slavery. This was an extremely bad act. Yet, Joseph says to his brothers, “You devised evil against me, yet God, He devised it for good in order to accomplish, as at this day, to preserve many people alive (Genesis 50:20).” The evil, sinful act of Joseph’s brothers was DEVISED by God in order to save Israel.
- How about the law of Moses given to Israel. God commanded Israel to follow every detail of this law and yet Paul says that law produces sin (Romans 7:8). God told Israel to follow law all the while planning that they would fall short. Why? So that Israel could recognize their need for a Savior.
- Should I talk about Judas? We all know what he did. However, do you know that Judas did what he did because the scripture must be fulfilled (Acts 1:16). Jesus Himself said to Judas, “Do it quickly” and did nothing to talk him out of it. Why? Because Judas had to do what scripture (God) foretold.
WE can all go against God’s stated will while fulfilling His intention. In truth, a human can always go against God’s revealed will but can never go against His absolute will. This is explained clearly in Romans 9: 18-25.
Finally, here are two verses right next to each other that show this relative and absolute viewpoint perfectly. I present to you Philippians 2: 12-13:
12 So that, my beloved, according as you always obey, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, with fear and trembling, be carrying your own salvation into effect, 13 for it is God Who is operating in you to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight.
In the above verses, we are told to ‘carry our own salvation into effect.’ See, Mr. and Mrs. Christian would say, “we have a free will because we must carry our own salvation into effect.” So a free-will believer would say that we must act in certain ways to get our salvation, therefore, we have a free will.
Not so fast! Remember that being free means that we are uninfluenced by God or anything else. With that in mind, here comes verse 13: For it is God Who is operating in you to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight. This is the absolute viewpoint.
It is so vitally important to understand that ‘working out your own salvation’ may include faith choices, repentance, and decisions of your will. HOWEVER, it is God that works in you to WILL and to WORK. This is what forms your will and causes you to act, not your free-will. You cannot possibly have a free-will if God works in you to WILL and to do. If God works in you to will and to do, you will do. If God is not working in you to will and do of His delight, then you won’t. All is of God.
Salvation is of God!
Yes, but you must have ‘faith’ to be saved says Christian #1.
Okay, Christian #1, where does that faith come from? You and your independent will or from God?
29 for to you it is graciously granted, for Christ’s sake, not only to be believing on Him, but to be suffering for His sake also,
30 having the same struggle such as you are perceiving in me, and now are hearing to be in me. -Philippians 1: 29-30Yes, but you must ‘repent’ to be saved says Christian #2.
Okay, Christian #2, where does repentance come from? You and your independent will or from God?
25 with meekness training those who are antagonizing, seeing whether God may be giving them repentance to come into a realization of the truth, -2 Timothy 2:25
Choose this day whom you will serve, says Christian #3. See, we make choices.
Well of course we do, but who is in charge of those choices?
Just so you know…something cannot come from your independent will and from God at the same time. If its your independent will then God cannot influence it otherwise it would not be independent.
So, faith and repentance play a part in aionion salvation but where does this faith and repentance come from? God! So says scripture. You see, most people think that God did a lot for them but believe that its their ‘own will’ that determines their salvation. Their self-will decision determines whether or not they receive the good things from God. The truth is that God does everything from start to finish, including forming the individual will of each human. Therefore, we all have a ‘will’ it just is not ‘free.’
God determines the choices man will make and creates the will in man to carry those choices to completion…
I end with this question to prove that man’s will is completely dependent upon God. How can man choose Christ by his own free-will if God determined that this man would be in Christ before the man was even born, before time began? -2 Timothy 1:9
God chooses who will be saved for the ages and then gives them the faith to save them. This is special salvation. Those not given faith will not have a special salvation because they were not given faith by God to believe. They will be saved later at God’s appointed time for them.
Grace and peace to you all.
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The Death of Death proves Christ’s Cross Saves All
How is death abolished?
I like to pose this question to those that do not believe in God, do not believe Jesus Christ is the Savior or does not believe scripture: Do you believe in death?
Well, everyone has some sort of experience with death. We have all looked at a dead body in a coffin starring death in the face. First, we must understand that the dead are in the sleep state and are not conscious. The dead are not alive somewhere else. More on that in an upcoming article.
Well, scripture, giving an account of Christ’s work is the only place that specifically details not only with how death came to us but how it is abolished…practically! Anyone with eyes to see can come to the conclusion that death is as real as the scripture that shows how Christ abolished it. More on this in a moment.
The religious man looks at the brutality of the cross and asks, “What can I do to be saved?” The believer looks at the cross and says, “Thank you for saving me, Lord!”
The apostle Paul exhorts us to walk worthily because we are saved by grace, yet religion tells us to walk worthily in order to earn or maintain this saving grace. There is a big difference. The former relies on God through Christ’s work, the latter relies on human pride and accomplishment.
The sin of trying to perfect yourself does not understand that perfection comes from Christ, not human faith and behavior. Human faith is given to a person by God to bring them into a realization of what has been done for them by Christ. It does not make what Christ had done true.
Christ’s work on the cross killed the old humanity and was the ‘death’ of death. Death will eventually be overcome in all creation because of Christ’s work. He (Christ) is the Firstborn of everyone else. First, the believer, then everyone else through judgement.
1Timothy 4:10 (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.
Death, separation from God, every single sin has been dealt with on the cross. It is a fact! Religion and Christians will have you believe that these evils have not been dealt with and will remain on a person if they don’t act right. What a misunderstanding of what Christ did on the cross. The old humanity of sin and death has been killed and in the fullness of time, will no longer exist as every single creature will put on Christ’s immortality.
1 Corinthians 15: 35-58 tells us how. These verses tell us about how death is done away with and how the dead are roused.
In these verses, Paul explains that immortality or vivification relies on dying when he writes, “What you are sowing is not being vivified if it should not be dying (1Cor15:36-37).” Paul goes on to explain that God gives to each its own body as He wills.
Then, on to the resurrection of the dead in verses 42 to 45:
42 Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused in incorruption.
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory. It is sown in infirmity; it is roused in power.
44 It is sown a soulish body; it is roused a spiritual body.
45 If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. Thus it is written also, The first man, Adam, “became a living soul:” the last Adam a vivifying Spirit.-1 Corinthians 15: 42-45
The above verses go hand in hand with the reason why the old humanity and death came to us. We are sown in corruption, dishonor, and infirmity in order to be roused in incorruption, glory, and power. Jesus Christ took our corruption, dishonor, and infirmity and God killed them on the cross, along with Christ. When our Lord was resurrected, He became the new creation of incorruption, glory, and power. This is exactly what happens to us through death and resurrection. They are conversely related.
Our corruption, dishonor, and infirmity was killed on Christ’s cross so that we will be resurrected in incorruption, glory, and power. The apostle Paul says that “If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also (1Cor15:45).”
Now don’t miss this: the spiritual body is the incorruption, glory, and power that will live forever showing Christ’s accomplishment. So, we all have a soulish body corrupted by death and sin. However, Paul says that if you have a soulish body you also have a spiritual body. This means that everyone that exists, everyone that has a body will one day be roused in incorruption, glory, and power because everyone has a spiritual body.
Remember, first comes the soulish body, then the spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:46). So if one has a soulish body, they have a spiritual body as well. Everyone you know has a soulish body so everyone you know will have a spiritual one.
This is the process of Adam and Christ. There is a reason Christ is referred to as the last Adam. The relationship between Adam and Christ is that those human beings that follow will inherit the work of both Adam and Christ. Adam produced death, the old humanity, the soulish body in all humanity that came after him. Christ produces immortality, justification, the spiritual body in all humanity that comes after Him.
We live this life with death operating in us until we die. This is what we got from Adam and it applies to all humanity. When we are resurrected at the appointed time, we get immortality and incorruption. This is what we get from Christ and it applies to all humanity. However, each in their own order as scripture declares. Believers come into immortality first and the rest through judgement later…some will have to go through the lake of fire. But rest assured, Christ will produce the spiritual body for the exact same all in which Adam produced the soulish body.
Now here you have it: How are the dead roused and how is death abolished?
First, we need to understand that death will be abolished and will NOT exist forever. 1 Corinthians 15:26 says so:
25 For He must be reigning until He should be placing all His enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy is being abolished: death.
27 For He subjects all under His feet. Now whenever He may be saying that all is subject, it is evident that it is outside of Him Who subjects all to Him.-1 Corintians 15:25-27
So now, how is death abolished? The same way the dead are roused. I present 1 Corinthians 15:53-55:
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality.
54 Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory.
55 Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?There you have it! Death is swallowed up in victory and is taunted in verse 55. Would scripture truly taunt death and claim victory of it if it still existed somewhere in God’s creation keeping creatures separate from God? No! Death is defeated and ridiculed because it no longer exists!
The only way to overcome death is by the corruptible putting on incorruption and the mortal PUTTING ON IMMORTALITY. The only way death can be abolished is if this happens to every one of God’s creatures.
This is what Christ did to become the Firstborn of a new creation and this is exactly what He gives to all humanity. Otherwise, death would continue to exist. Scripture says it doesn’t.
What a wonderful God and Savior we have. Grace and peace to you all.
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Scripture Challenge #4– Why do Christians only re-define ‘all’ when it comes to Salvation?
Colossians 1: 15-20 proves that every creature will be reconciled to God through Christ…
If I talked about to you about every creature in the heavens and on the earth…would you say that includes all creatures?
Of course! Remember Ephesians 6:12 that clearly states that wicked spiritual forces are among the celestials, not in a fictitious hellhole. So, if we properly understand the only two realms discussed in scripture is the earth and the heavens and we included every creature, then this would include all creatures.
What if I talked to you about every creature that is visible or invisible…would that include every creature?
Of course! What else could a creature be if not visible or invisible. Every single creature is one or the other: visible or invisible. Can you come up with a creature that is not either visible or invisible?
There is a reason God used these words to clearly describe every creature ever created. Well then, what would make a person not think that every creature in the heavens and earth and every creature visible and invisible does NOT include every creature?
The answer: When salvation is being discussed.
Religious people lose their mind and logic when Christ’s cross is presented as powerful enough to save every single creature ever created. Therefore, they say that everything in the heavens and the earth and everything visible and invisible DOES NOT include all. The religious only say this when it pertains to salvation because they hate the power of Christ’s cross. They despise the fact that Christ’s cross is powerful enough to eventually save all creation.
Remember, not all creation is saved at the same time. Many have to go through severe judgement and many will miss the glories of the coming ages. But, eventually, the cross is strong enough to reach every creature. This is exactly what Paul is talking about in Colossians 1: 15-20.
The context: In Colossians chapter one, Paul is talking to believers that have realized the grace of God. Paul is encouraging them to grow in this realization of God and to walk worthily. Paul addresses these believers as ‘you’ so if he was only speaking to only believers in Colossians 1: 15-20, he would continue to address them as ‘you.’ However, Paul clearly moves to what the cross has done for all creation in these verses in question.
15 Who is the Image of the invisible God, Firstborn of every creature,
16 for in Him is all created, that in the heavens and that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, all is created through Him and for Him,
17 and He is before all, and all has its cohesion in Him.
18 And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first,
19 for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell,
20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.-Colossians 1: 15-20
Christian argument: Most Christians would agree that v. 15 and v. 16 are talking about all creation. After all, these verses state that Christ is the Firstborn of every creature including all in the heavens and the earth and all visible and invisible. Clearly, they would be correct.
Now, the ‘all’ that Paul uses in v.20 in proper context is referring to the ‘every creature, all in heavens and on earth, and all visible and invisible’ in v. 15 and 16. However, Christians ignore the rules of language and context when the ‘all’ is presented in v. 20. Why? Because Paul refers to this ‘all’ as being SAVED! Christians can’t have that, so they say the ‘all’ in v. 20 only refers to believers.
They have massacred language and context, along with word usage by doing this. There is no doubt that ‘all’ are not saved for the 1000 year kingdom and the new heavens and new earth, however, Paul is talking about a time when the cross has met its full completion. This is a time when every single creature ever created is reconciled to God through the blood of the cross.
Yes, the cross is that powerful! The ‘all’ that Paul uses in v.20 is the exact same ‘all’ he painstakingly and graphically describes in v. 15 and v. 16. Every single creature ever created. This is what happens to those creatures:
…Through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens. – Colossians 1:20
How is the ‘all’ reconciled not mean the ‘all’ that refers to every single creature ever created?
Grace and peace to you all.
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Why God’s Vengeance if ALL are Justified
Email: This post is a response to a detailed email that I received from someone objecting to my video. I am going to present the main idea of the email because it was quite lengthy. However, the person asked why God deals out vengeance in 2 Thessalonions 1: 6-9 if all are justified? He goes on to object to Christ’s cross being powerful enough to save all mankind and refers to 1 Timothy 4:10 as God only saving some. Below is how I responded. I only post these emails and responses becaus I think they pose good questions and bring out great truths.
My response: First, your question on ‘have all men been justified before God and if so, why deal out vengeance to those justified?’
Everyone is justified by Christ Jesus and His work on the cross. Through Adam’s offense we are condemned and through Christ’s just award, not ours, we are justified (Romans 5:18). We have to understand that not all are constituted just at the same time. Though Christ has accomplished justification for all, the deliverance of our bodies to justification happens at different times. For instance, 1 Corinthians 15:28 talks about all those that die in Adam, that’s everyone. In these verses, Paul says that the same all that die in Adam will be made immortal (vivified) By Christ. Then, in verse 28 he says that all are subject to Christ and the only one not subject to Christ is God himself. This occurs at the consummation when all creation is perfected by the perfect Savior Christ. This is why God becomes All in all. Remember, the context clearly refers to the all that die in Adam…which is the same all in which God becomes All in all (v. 28)
Here is what Christians don’t get. These verses go the furthest in time than any scripture, Paul speaks of a time even after the book of revelation because in 1 Corinthians 15:24 Christ gives up his reign and in verse 27, death is abolished. In revelation Christ is still reigning and death is still in operation. However, Christ’s reign ends and death ends once Christ saves all creation. However, before this, God deals out his vengeance and judgement on unbelievers. The verses in 2 Thessolonians 1: 6-9 talks about vengeance and judgement in order to bring unbelievers to the eventual realization of the justification Christ has accomplished for them. Isaiah 26:9 says that when God’s judgements come to earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. So this vengeance is not the end game. The people that receive this vengeance will be corrected into realizing Christ’s justification for them. That is the end game.
Justification is a done deal because Christ accomplished it. However, each in their own order. First, believers that have been given faith BY GOD to realize what Christ has accomplished for them. Then, the rest through judgment come into this justification. Therefore, all are justified by Christ and God works out the timing for each to be constituted just. You are confusing the end with means. You think the means is the end. Not so, the end is 1 Corinthians 15:28, Colossians 1: 15-20, Romans 5:18-19, etc.
Romans 6:7 says that anyone that dies is justified from sin. WE are justified because we die with Christ. Believers realize this first, then, through judgement the rest (Romans 8: 18-25). Either way, how can someone that dies not be justified? WE all die. WE all are resurrected. Each in our own order.
This is the true meaning of 1 Timothy 4:10. Believers have a special salvation in that they get in first, however the word used is ‘especially’ not exclusively. So God is the Savior ‘especially’ of believers which qualifies the rest ‘unbelievers’ as having a salvation as well. Believers have a special salvation through faith, unbelievers have salvation through judgement. Both groups saved by and only by Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection.
Paul’s gospel speaks of being conciliated to God not reconciled to God. Please review 2 Corinthians 5: 18-21. This is because God is already at peace with us because He was in Christ conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them. The reason it is conciliation and not reconciliation is because God is good with us because of Christ. Sin can no longer stand in the way. The only thing needed is for us to realize that we are justified. That is the order of salvation.
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What Actually Happened on Christ’s Cross?
So much more than religion tells us…
Mocked, spit on, beaten within an inch of His life in order to carry a wooden stake around town. The Son of God tortured, nailed to a cross and suffocating for the creation. The very creation that through Him was created.
The scene and experience of the crucifixion of Christ is impossible to imagine. For Christ: the spiritual, emotional, and physical torture is beyond what we could possibly know. Why did this happen…what was accomplished?
The cross of Christ accomplished many things, but in this article I am going to focus on the new creation that the cross produced and what this means for all creation.
First, let’s look at the old creation or the ‘old humanity’ in order to heighten our understanding of the new creation.
The ‘old humanity’ is what we inherited from Adam. This includes the death, sin, and condemnation operating in all mankind from Adam’s one offense to all of us today. The moment we are born, actually before we are born, we begin to die. We all have death operating in us and we are subjected to vanity by our Creator (Romans 8: 20-21).
We are subjected to this old humanity and this vanity by God in order to eventually be set free from it (Romans 8:21). Human beings are subject to death, sin, condemnation and apparent separation from God in this life. After all, scripture says this about life: It is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it (Ecclesiastes 1:13).
We experience evil to shape us and to learn contrast in order to enjoy God that much more. The purposefulness, immortality, righteousness, and being completed by God will have so much meaning because of our experience of vanity, death, sin, and separation from God. Once these evil things serve their purpose, they will be done away with forever as all will be subject to God and will have Christ’s immortality (1 Corinthians 15:22,28).
So how do we get rid of this old humanity in favor of the new creation? Well, scripture says that that our old humanity was crucified together with Christ (Romans 6:6). So what happens to something when it is crucified? It dies…its dead. Our old humanity is dead because it was crucified with Christ! Its not resurrected like Christ, but it remains dead never to be resurrected again.
Christians and the religious believe that the old humanity never was crucified or that it will be resurrected if they don’t make the correct faith choice or don’t live right. NO!
Here it is in a nutshell: The old humanity, our old humanity was put on Christ on the cross. Christ Jesus became sin itself and God killed Christ, sin, and the old humanity itself on that cross. God resurrected Christ into a new creation forever free of these evils. However, the sin, death, and old humanity remained dead in that tomb defeated forever. Now obviously, not everyone is constituted sinless, just, and immortal at this time because sin and death are still in the world. But, Christ’s work on the cross accomplished the abolition of death in spirit now and all will be constituted immortal each in their own order (1 Corinthians 15: 22-23). Some by faith and many through judgement.
So, how is humanity transferred from the old humanity to the new creation? Romans, chapter six explains it. We were entombed together with Christ and we have been planted together into His death. So, that we shall be of the resurrection also.
You see, we are made immortal together, jointly with Christ, not apart from Him. Religion has us believe that Christ died and was resurrected and now it is up to the human to save himself or herself by faith choices and good deeds. Not so, we have died and are resurrected WITH Christ.
13 Who rouses Him from among the dead, you also being dead to the offenses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He vivifies us together jointly with Him, dealing graciously with all our offenses (Colossians 2:13)
We will one day be just like Christ because we have participated in Christ’s death and resurrection. That is why He is the Firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29-30). See, God vivifies us together jointly with Christ, dealing graciously with ALL OUR OFFENSES (Colossians 2:14). Is unbelief and bad behavior an offense? Yes, and God deals graciously because every offense died with Christ and Christ was resurrected, and us with Him, without those offenses.
Christianity teaches that we must overcome these very offenses that have been nailed to the cross! Christians teach that Christ has been resurrected separate from us and now we must do the right thing in order to be included with Him in resurrection. Not true, we are resurrected jointly with Him. We are resurrected when He was resurrected, in spirit. All humanity participated in this resurrection and each will eventually be perfected, each in their own order of course.
The last group of scripture I am going to mention today is found in Colossians 1: 15-20. Here, we get a complete idea of what Christ being the Firstborn among the dead accomplished for all creation. First, in verse 19, Paul says that in Christ the entire complement delights to dwell. Then, in verse 20, it is said that all creation through Christ is reconciled to God making peace through the blood of His cross.
Before anyone argues that this is not all creation, verses 15-17 established the context of what ‘all’ Paul is referring to. This ‘all’ includes everyone in the heavens and the earth, everyone visible and invisible, every throne, lordship, sovereignty, and authority. This includes wicked entities in the heavenly realms. Hell does not exist because, again, the evil is in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). So this covers all of creation. Therefore, the ‘all’ of the context is all creation. The same all (all creation) discussed in verses 15-17 is the same ‘all’ reconciled to God through Christ’s cross in verse 20. Read for yourself:
15 Who is the Image of the invisible God, Firstborn of every creature,
16 for in Him is all created, that in the heavens and that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, all is created through Him and for Him,
17 and He is before all, and all has its cohesion in Him.
18 And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first,
19 for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell,
20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.-Colossians 1: 15-20
1 Corinthians 15:28 also discusses God’s end game and the final accomplishment of Christ’s cross. This verse explains that the only Being not subjected to Christ is God Himself. Every single creature ever created is included in the subjugation to Christ.
You see, Paul goes the furthest into the future. Yes, there is a time when people are not saved and miss out on either the 1000 year kingdom or the New Heavens and the New Earth age. Yes, some will go to the Lake of Fire. However, these verses in 1 Corinthians 15, talk about a time after the ages are complete and the Lake of Fire (2nd death) and all death is abolished. This is a time when all have been perfected by Christ as this is what being subjected to Christ actually is. Jesus Christ perfects every creature ever created so that God can be ALL in all.
This is the glorious endgame of scripture and the cross of Christ. All creation being perfected so that God will be All in everyone of His creatures. That is what will be once the cross has completed its work, once Christ has given up His reign.
What actually happened on that cross? God was in Christ conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them (2 Corinthians 5:19). God perfected His universe through the blood of the cross so that He would be every creature’s All. Everyone saved, everyone perfected, everyone with God because of the work of Christ Jesus on the cross.
Every single creature that carried the ‘old humanity’ from Adam, given to the new creation of being children of God from Christ. That is what actually happened…
Grace and peace to you all.
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Scripture Challenge #3: Can we give anything to God?
Romans 11: 33-36
Can we give anything to God?
Yes!
Can we give anything to God that God has not first given to us?
No!
Most would answer ‘yes’ to the first question and say that humans have a ‘free will.’ However, nearly all those in religion don’t answer the second question correctly…or they don’t see the difference between the two questions. The answer to this second question proves that humans do not have a ‘free will.’
The Christian argues that we need to give our choice, faith, good deeds, or a combination of these to God in order to be saved. First, let me say that scripture teaches that all mankind will be justified, made immortal, and God will be everyone’s all by and only by the work of Christ (1 Corinthians 15, many more verses). However, each in their own order. Therefore, faith and human choice play a part in getting this salvation early and having a special salvation (1 Timothy 4:10). Otherwise, if not given faith by God, people come to realize Christ through judgement.
Okay, so that being said, back to the argument that we give God our choice, faith, good deeds, etc. Of course we do! However, it is God that gives us this faith, choice, and good deeds. Therefore, they are not free. If God gives us something that we then give back to Him, then it is not a free will choice but instead…God’s choice.
This is what is being described in the rhetorical questions asked by Paul in Romans 11: 33-36
33 O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
34 For, who knew the mind of the Lord? or, who became His adviser?
35 or, who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him?
36 seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen!The answer to all of Paul’s questions is ‘NOBODY.’ Verse 36 says that out of Him and through Him and for Him is all…therefore, of course nobody knew the mind of the Lord or became His adviser. But, I want to focus on verse 35: who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him?
Nobody is again, the answer. Paul is teaching that nobody gives anything to God first and God repays him. This is impossible because God gives life, breath, and all…TO ALL(Acts 17: 25-26)! So, everything we have is given to us by God. This includes our faith choices.
However, Christianity teaches the exact opposite of Paul. Those of this religion say that we give God ‘our free will choice’ and God then repays us with eternal life or eternal hell. Christians say that God ‘requires’ something of us for salvation and Paul says that God requires nothing (Acts 17:25). Why does God require nothing? Because He gives humans everything that they have.
This does not mean that faith and choice do not play a part, it just means that God supplies the faith and the choice.
Its like this: God accomplished salvation for all creation through Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. God chooses who will be saved first and then gives them faith so that they believe. Those not given faith do not have salvation at this time and will come to realize Christ’s accomplishment through judgement.
So, we do make choices and give God many things. However, we absolutely cannot give God anything of our own creation. This is because we are not creators, we are not God. We can only give to God what He has given to us in the first place.
35 or, who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? (Rom. 11:35)
Nobody! God does it all.
Grace and peace to you all.
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Scripture Challenge #2: Psalm 139:16
Free will or God’s Book?
Does God plan and execute everything or are some things left to chance or even worse…human ‘free will?’
Today I present Psalm 139:16
16 Your eyes saw my embryo,
And my days, all of them were written upon Your scroll;
The days, they were formed
when there was not one of them.
So in the above verse it is said that God has formed all of our days and has written them on His scroll (book) before one of them came to be. How often do we take God at His word?
It would be good enough to disprove human free will by God writing every day in His book. This is because what is written cannot be erased and if God wrote it then its God’s action and choice, not the humans.
However, the psalmist goes a step further in saying that all our days were formed WHEN THERE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. This means that God planned everyday up until our last day, before we were even born. This means that everything that happens in our lives has been decided by God and not by our choice.
How can we determine what happens in our lives if it has already been decided before we were even born? We don’t. The truth of the matter is that we make choices that God has planned for us to make.
This verse goes hand in hand with Romans 9: 11-13
11 For, not as yet being born, nor putting into practice anything good or bad, that the purpose of God may be remaining as a choice, not out of acts, but of Him Who is calling,
12 it was declared to her that “The greater shall be slaving for the inferior,”
13 According as it is written, “Jacob I love, yet Esau I hate.”You see, God decides our lives before we do anything good or bad because it is God’s choice. The good and bad things that we do are a result of Him Who is calling. Its God’s choice and not out of our acts. Our acts are simply a result of God’s choice. Our choices play out the purpose that God planned long before we were born.
Yet, people still insist that God is not God and say that their ‘free-will’ determines their destiny. Even worse, God has to adjust His plan based on human choice. Therefore, making ‘human free will’ the false idol that is more powerful than God and the ultimate source of human experience and consequence.
Human free will is a lie and we must understand that God is not a human being. He is connected to His creation is a special way in that He gives life, breath, and all TO ALL (Acts 17:26).
Back to Psalm 139:16…
If God formed each and every day of our life as scripture clearly says, then think of what is included in those days:
Have you ever gone through a day in which evil was not present? Of course some days are worse than others. However, could God form a day without factoring evil into those days?
What about death? Think about all the factors that go into a person dying here on earth. How can God form a person’s days if they are dead?
My point in asking these questions is: Does God in control of when a person dies? Well, of course He does. I have already given you a verse that states that God gives us BREATH. If you don’t believe that one, you won’t believe the others.
So, if God controls when a person dies and breaths their last then He would have to control every aspect of a person’s life leading up to that point, otherwise death could come as a surprise. Not so…because God is God.
Let’s give God His place as the ultimate Placer and Subjector and us our place as the creature. WE live our lives the best we can while taking into account that all is of God and everything we do is an unfolding of God’s plan from the beginning.
Grace and peace to you all.
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Scripture Challenge #1 to all Christians: Romans 5:18
Christ justifies all that Adam condemns
This is a friendly challenge to Christians and anyone else. In the past, I’ve been accused of misinterpreting scripture or just being flat wrong. Every single time this accusation is made, the accuser never shows me how the scripture that I present is wrong. They just say its wrong and move to the scripture they think proves their point. This happens in person and online.
I have taken proof scriptures that Christians and others offer on eternal hell and human free will and have shown, agree or not, how these scriptures are mistranslated and misinterpreted.
So, now I am going to present just a few concrete proofs that completely disprove eternal hell and human free will and challenge any Christian or religious person of any persuasion to show me how it does not mean what it says. Show me how I am wrong. I am going to do separate posts each with only one scripture or group of scripture.
Now, I’m sure most of my readers know that we must correctly divide the word and take each verse in its proper context. For example, we have to know who is talking and to whom, is it a message for Israel or the gentiles, is Jesus talking about the 1000 year kingdom while Paul is talking about periods of time after the 1000 year kingdom? On and on…
However, I have found that many detractors just say, ‘you are taking these verses out of context.’ Yet, never explain how. It seems the phrase, ‘taking it out of context’ a lot of times is a pet answer for ignoring verses people don’t want to hear. So, explain how it’s being taken out of context. The religious never answer this question.
Today, I am going to present Romans 5:18
Context of these verses: Paul is talking to the Romans and just got done explaining that no man is justified by works of the law (Romans 3:20). Paul goes on to say that death has passed to all mankind, on which all sinned (Romans 5:13). Earlier, Paul already explained regarding all mankind: “Not one is just”—not even one. Not one is understanding. Not one is seeking out God (Romans 3:11).
So Paul is saying that nobody seeks God on their own (God causes people to seek Him) and not one person in all humanity (outside of Christ) can seek God and by justified by law. So Paul then explains how there is a righteousness of God, apart from law, that is manifest (Romans 3:21).
Paul explains how this righteousness of God is given, apart from law. He is talking to the Romans about all humanity. That is the context.
Onward to Romans 5:18…
18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying.
What this verse says: WE get condemnation, not by our own individual sin or offenses, but by the ‘one offense’ of Adam. It was through one offense (Adam’s) for all mankind for condemnation. Remember Paul already stated that death passed through into all mankind and that is why all sinned (Romans 5:13). Adam’s offense condemned all mankind. This verse says nothing about ‘all mankind’ accepting Adam’s offer, or coming to faith in Adam, or making choices to receive his condemnation. WE were given this condemnation by Adam, apart from any ‘self’ act.
What this verse does not say: So many times religious people say that we inherit death from Adam but we must ACCEPT the offer of Christ. However, scripture says that Christ is greater than Adam. Wouldn’t Adam be greater than Christ if his act spread to all mankind and then Christ’s act was not powerful enough to spread to all mankind, but needed man’s permission? I digress.
What this verse says: Anyway, ‘thus also’ means in the exact same way. This is parallel language, therefore, the second part of this verse (justification) is received in the exact same way as the first part (condemnation). AS a result, we get justification from Christ in the exact same way we get condemnation from Adam. It is through the one just award (Christ’s work on the cross) for all mankind for life’s justifying. Christ’s one just award of justifying is for all mankind. This verse says nothing about ‘all mankind’ accepting Christ’s offer, or coming to faith in Christ, or making choices to receive His Justification. WE were given this justification by Christ, apart from any ‘self’ act.
What Christians say: Many Christians would agree that we get death and condemnation from Adam. Then they turn around, ignoring scripture, and say, “Yeah, but you must choose and believe in Christ.” My response to this is, “Did you choose death and believe in Adam?” Because we get justification from Christ in the exact same way we get death from Adam.
Romans 5:19 says basically the same thing:
19 For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just.
How does one explain the absence of human choice in these verses?
Grace and peace to you all…
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Christians believe in ‘Their Faith’ not ‘Christ’
What saves us? Chirst or ‘our faith’ in Christ.
My dear friends…What saves you?
Does Jesus Christ save you or does ‘your faith’ in Jesus Christ save you?
Many of you may think that this is a play on words. It is not. Satan uses subtlety to get humans to believe in ‘self’ instead of Christ. If the Adversary’s tactics were overt and obvious, then nobody would fall for them.
So, let me clarify this question: Do you believe that Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection saves you? OR: Do you believe that Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection only makes it possible to be saved if you accept it by faith?
First, let’s take a look at if you believe that ‘faith’ comes from your ‘free-will’ choice in which God cannot or will not influence. If your faith and free-will is actually free, then God cannot touch it…otherwise…its not free. Therefore:
This belief rests on the premise that Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection actually saved nobody by itself. Christ saved not one person by His work on the cross unless a person believes He saved them by their own faith. You have to come to this conclusion because ‘if you have no faith’ then you are not saved. Therefore, Christ did not save you if you are not saved. As a result, without faith, the cross of Christ has no effect of salvation. The cross of Christ, without man’s faith, does nothing.
So, what actually saves you? Christ or ‘your faith’ in Christ? The obvious answer is that its ‘your faith’ in Christ that actually saves you, not Christ. Christ only made it possible for you to save yourself. Do you see how the Adversary has turned Christ’s accomplishment of salvation into human ‘self’ accomplishment?
Now, the saved person can boast in what he or she has done for salvation. They can boast because they have done something that others have not, in order to be saved. Of course the religious would never claim they are boasting because scripture debars it. However, boasting overtly or quietly is still boasting.
Okay, so does faith play a part in salvation? I am getting to that. However, to explain the role of our faith in salvation, I am going to start at the end. Here we go:
The end goal of God and everything that has ever happened in this world is for God to be All in all of His creation. Every creature that dies in Adam will be made immortal in Christ and so will every sovereignty, authority, and power. This includes all humans, animals, and spiritual entities. This is proven in Colossians 1:15-20 and 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28, and throughout the scripture.
Here in Romans 5: 18-19, Paul explains that we get death and condemnation from Adam, not because of anything we have or have not done…not because of any faith we had or didn’t have. Well, comparatively, we get life and justification from Christ, not because of anything we have or have not done..not because of any faith we had or didn’t have.
18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying.
19 For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just.Okay, so if we are all with God in the end because and only because of the death of Christ for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection…then where does our faith come in?
Let’s look at Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 4:10:
10 (for for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers.
You see, in the end, God saves all mankind. However, before the end, some have an early and special salvation. Well, how do these people have a special salvation?
FAITH!
So here is the truth of scripture: Everyone is saved by and only by Christ’s death, entombment, and resurrection. Those that have faith realize and live in this salvation first, those that don’t have faith need to go through judgement in order to realize this salvation. All done by God, through Christ.
Those that do not have faith are not banished to an eternal hell hole, but miss out on some glorious ages until they eventually are saved by the blood of the cross.
Okay, so someone might argue that this faith that results in a special salvation is a human’s free will choice in which they can boast. However, that is not the case. Why?
Because that faith is not an act of ‘free-will’ but is given to each by GOD.
3 For I am saying, through the grace which is given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to be overweening, beyond what your disposition must be, but to be of a sane disposition, as GOD PARTS TO EACH A MEASURE OF FAITH. -Romans 12:3
Scripture says that God chooses who will believe and then gives them the faith at His appointed time. Note what Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:9:
9 Who saves us and calls us with a holy calling, not in accord with our acts, but in accord with His own purpose and the grace which is given to us in Christ Jesus before times eonian…
We get grace, through faith, and this grace was given to believers before time began. Therefore, the faith was given before time began. It is impossible for human beings to believe in God without God giving them the faith. So, nothing happens out of man’s supposed ‘free will.’
48 Now on hearing this, the nations rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord, and they believe, whoever were set for life eonian. – Acts 13:48
You see, God determines who will have this special salvation (agelong life) and then gives those that He has chosen the faith that is needed. It is not up to the human. The faith that is given by God is faith to believe that Christ did everything and accomplished salvation, apart from any human contribution, on the cross.
Faith does not save you but brings you to a realization that you have been saved by Christ. Those that do not have faith have still been saved by Christ, though they will not realize this until judgement and they will miss out on the glorious aionion life that is part of the ‘special salvation.’
This is true faith: Believing that Christ accomplished salvation apart from your ‘self’ contribution. This is the difference between believing that Christ saved you and believing that ‘your faith’ has saved you. This is the difference between being a member of the Christian religion and being a member of the Body of Christ.
Grace and peace to you all.
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Why Jesus is NOT a Religion
Through His Son, God ends the quest of man-made systems to reach God
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘Religion’ as:
A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them.
I would simplify this definition of ‘Religion’ from a scriptural analysis. I would say ‘Religion’ is man’s attempt to get to God. Plain and simple.
Look at any Religion in the history of the world until now, you will see that man must do something by his or her self in order to attain the god, gods, or end bliss in question. In this article, I am going to show my readers how Jesus Christ has nothing to do with religion and how Christianity errantly makes Him a religion.
In order for a religion to be a religion, there must be something man ‘must do’ to achieve paradise or endless bliss. So, in order for something ‘not to be a religion,’ then the something man ‘must do’ must be eliminated. The only way for a belief not to be a religion is if the Deity in question accomplishes the end goal apart from man’s contribution. This is exactly what Jesus Christ does but hardly anyone believes it.
You must believe…you must accept the gift…you must do good works…you must follow the law…you can do this but you can’t do that…and on and on. Well, there is a debate is some circles as to whether one is saved by faith or by faith and works. However, let me tell you how neither is part of religion if properly understood.
The apostle Paul says this about God in Acts, chapter 17, verses 24-26: The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord inherent of heaven and earth, is NOT DWELLING IN TEMPLES MADE BY HANDS, NEITHER IS HE ATTENDED BY HUMAN HANDS, AS IF REQUIRING ANYTHING, SINCE HE HIMSELF GIVES TO ALL LIFE AND BREATH AND ALL.
I capitalized the words Paul used because they are the exact opposite of what religion is. What is religion but God being attended by human hands. In these verses, Paul says that God is not attended by human hands. What is religion but outlining what is required of a human to get to God. In these verses, Paul says that God DOES NOT REQUIRE ANYTHING…that is what is meant by the phrase ‘as if requiring anything.’
So religion requires something of man but God does not. Why? Paul answers…because God gives to all life and breath and all. The reason God does not require anything from man is because everything a man has is given him by God. How can God require something from a human that God Himself has to give in order for the human to have it?
Therefore, its not that a human doesn’t need to have faith or even works. But instead, its that God gives faith (Romans 12:3) and God creates the works to be done (Ephesians 2:10). God does everything so He requires nothing from a human that is independent of God. In fact, its impossible for a human to do anything apart from the intention of God (Romans 9:19). Another fact is that humans can give nothing to God that He has not first given to them (Romans 11: 35-36).
So, why is the truth of Jesus different from every religion ever created?
Jesus entered God’s creation and through His death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection, God saves all of His creation. Jesus is not a religion because He, by God’s hand, eliminates the ‘must do’ of the human.
Humanity inherited death from Adam and that is our curse (Romans 5:13). Forget eternal hell for it is a false doctrine. Death is our destiny and humans are powerless to overcome it. The dying cannot save the dying and the dead cannot save the dead. That is why we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers (1 Timothy 4:10).
God, through the work and only the work of Jesus Christ, saves everyone, eventually. Jesus Christ entered our death and God resurrected Him. This is our salvation. Christ drags us into His death and scoops us up into immortal life. This is not a religion because it is not up to anything the human does, but all is accomplished by God, through Christ.
Where is the human contribution of religion in these verses?
Romans 5:18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying. We get life’s justifying through the one just award of Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. The same ALL that die in Adam are the same ALL vivified by Christ. We did nothing to get death, we do nothing to get life. We inherit death from Adam and we inherit life from Christ. No religion, no ‘must’ do on our part. All up to Christ!
Colossians 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens. All of creation is reconciled to God THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS not through human contribution, acceptance, rule-following. Religion is eliminated because God does the ‘must do’ for everybody.
So back to Christianity. Christianity reverts Christ back to religion the minute a follower says, ‘Jesus died on the cross, but you must ______’
Whatever you fill in that blank with…..is religion. If you fill in this blank and you believe that this action is ‘independent of God’ then you make everything Christ has done null and void. Why? Because now salvation is no longer dependent on Christ but on whatever you fill in the blank with. It could be faith, accepting the gift, works or anything else! You have made the Destroyer of religion, a religion.
Now, let me be very clear. Everyone is saved by God, through Jesus Christ’s completed work. The verses above and many others prove this. However, though all is done by God, He does not save everyone at the same time (1 Corinthians 15:23).
God gives faith to those He has chosen for a special salvation unto agelong life. Whatever needs to be done to have this agelong life, God gives to the person He has chosen. This so happens to be a realization of Christ’s completed work of salvation through His death for your sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Plus, no human contribution. Anything we do or have is given to us by God, not self.
WE are HIS ACHIEVEMENT (Ephesians 2:10) from start to finish. God just brings people to Him at different times. But rest assured, that all including the salvation of every creature ever created is accomplished by God and not the human ‘must do’ of religion. It all ends with God being All in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). All created by God, all saved by God, all with God in the end. For in Him we are living and moving and are (Acts 17:28).
Grace and peace to you all!
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