Saved ignoble

Nobody touched by the cross will be the same and no doubt, everyone will be touched by the cross…

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I do not like the term ‘Universalism’ because it allows people to categorize you into a box that they think they know, but do not.

I prefer to use phrases like ‘the power of the cross’ or ‘Christ’s complete work on the cross,’ etc. You see, people who deny universal salvation deny that Christ’s cross is a completed work and is powerful enough to save unbelievers. So they prefer to use universalism because, I believe, they don’t want to admit that they believe the cross is not powerful enough to save without human effort.

The term ‘Universalism’ gives off an idea to some people that salvation is just given to ungrateful sinners that live their life any way they want and just get a free ride into heaven. It costs nothing.

However, it cost the Son of God everything. If God didn’t send Christ then nobody would be saved and all of us would remain in our death and sin. However, God sent Christ to deal with sin and death forever by abolishing them and every enemy. As a result, at God’s appointed time, death and it’s sting will be no longer anywhere in God’s creation so that God will be All in all of His creatures.

So, one of the rubs against ‘universal salvation’ or the ‘100% success of the cross’ is that ungrateful, horrible people will ride willy nilly into heaven laughing all the way. See, this is a complete misunderstanding of how grace works and what the cross actually does.

Yes, we are saved by grace. We are saved by Jesus Christ’s faith, His death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. God gives faith to some people to believe in the complete accomplishment of salvation. Others will realize this truth through judgement. All will receive this grace ‘For God is the Savior of all mankind, especially (not exclusively) of believers (1 Timothy 4:10).’

Salvation is all of God and Christ Jesus has saved all humanity according to Romans 5: 18-19, Colossians 1: 15-20, 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28, 1 Timothy 4:10, etc. However, each are saved in their own order or class according to 1 Corinthians 15: 23.

So, I want to speak to those that call me a ‘universalist’ and make the argument that this grace is cheap because any ‘ungrateful sinner’ will get in.

I would like to briefly show that no ‘ungrateful sinner’ will be in heaven. I’m not saying that Christ does not save ‘ungrateful sinners’ because He does. In fact, God chooses the stupid, weak, unwise, and ignoble.

27 but the stupidity of the world God chooses, that He may be disgracing the wise, and the weakness of the world God chooses, that He may be disgracing the strong,
28 and the ignoble and the contemptible things of the world God chooses, and that which is not, that He should be discarding that which is,
29 so that no flesh at all should be boasting in God’s sight. -1Corinthians 1: 27-29

However, what I want to show is that no ‘ungrateful sinner’ will be an ungrateful sinner once God’s grace and Christ’s cross gets done with them.

First: Those of faith

If you have been given faith in the complete work of Christ for your salvation then you have come to an end of ‘self.’ This means you know that Christ alone has saved you and its not by any ‘free will’ choice but because God has chosen you.

A true realization by faith as to what Christ has accomplished for you never causes someone to lax and want to sin. In fact, Paul says that in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world (2 Corinthians 1: 12-13). Think about it in real world terms, if someone saved your life wouldn’t you want to spend the rest of yours living in gratitude and love towards that person? Well, those that realize Christ’s completed work understand that Christ saved them and so much more.

So now, believers live in Christ and are free from the law of sin and death. This grace gives them room to grow in pure love of Christ because they serve Christ because He saved them. However, those that claim you have to ‘behave’ in order to be saved only do so out of fear of death or torment.

You see, grace motivates you to ‘behave’ because Christ has saved you and you don’t need to fear death and sin any longer. The law of ‘behave or else’ causes you to act in fear of punishment in order to earn salvation as opposed to acting in love and gratitude. Believers act right because they are saved, not in order to be saved. If they do sin, yes, grace superexceeds sin in every way.

Yet law came in by the way, that the offense should be increasing. Yet where sin increases, grace superexceeds (Romans 5:20).

So, those that have been given belief as to Christ’s completed work are not ungrateful sinners that do not respect what Christ has done. On the contrary, they realize exactly what Christ has done to sin and death, so that they have the freedom to live for Christ.

In addition to this, God puts the believer through experiences in order for them to work out the salvation that has been accomplished. There will be no spoiled brats in heaven. They will go through everything needed in order to appreciate to the fullest extent all that God has done through Christ.

Second: Unbelieving sinners

Okay, so what about those sinners that do not believe and don’t care at all about Christ? They are just going to skip through the pearly gates?

Not so fast. Yes, it is true that we are saved ‘while we are God’s enemies’ and not when we believe. It can be said that Christ never saved a believer. Why? Because He saves us while we are sinners and enemies. Then, God gives belief to those chosen in order to realize this salvation. Unbelievers just have not come to realization that Christ has saved them.

8 yet God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes.
9 Much rather, then, being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from indignation, through Him.
10 For if, being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son, much rather, being conciliated, we shall be saved in His life. -Romans 5: 8-10

So, unbelievers where not given belief by God. Many people think that because they don’t believe that the only viable punishment for them is eternal separation from God. Why? Why is eternal hell or annihilation God’s only option in dealing with His unbelieving creation? “Ooh sorry, there’s nothing God can do because you made a choice,” says the christian.

Unbelief is an offense to God, but God does not reckon our offenses to us because He has conciliated the world to Himself in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5: 18-19). Unbelief is a sin, however, Christ came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). So, do these unbelievers get to heaven without a transformation? Of course not!

It is important to note that God chooses who will believe since before time began (2 Timothy 1: 9-11). Then, works out their experience so at the appointed time, they believe. This human choice is a result of God’s predetermined choice, not a result of man’s free will. So, these believers will have a special salvation in that they get in early and will work with Christ to save the rest of God’s creation. This is described in Romans 8: 18-25.

Now these unbelievers will miss out on the 1000 year kingdom and will have to go through judgement. The judgement of God will be intense and will give the unbeliever everything necessary for correction in order to come to the realization of Christ that those believers have been given by faith.

Its important to note that judgement from God is always for the good of the one being judged and not a vindictive, permanent condition. Judgement is correction as Isaiah 26:9 says and it is not eternal. See, God’s mercy and His judgement are not separate. I’ve heard many times from Christians that ‘God is just.’ Yes He is, but His justice runs through His mercy. This means that God’s justice, judgement or correction is a part of mercy.

For as light Your judgements will be to the earth; The dwellers of the habitance will learn righteousness. -Isaiah 26:9

So do the religious not believe that this 1000 year death sentence and judgement are enough to bring the unbeliever into a realization of truth? Well, for the most vile of sinners the lake of fire awaits. How about being in the lake of fire for years? Is that enough to satisfy the Christian? Do you still need eternal hell?

God doesn’t.

The blood of the cross does the necessary work for all creation with belief and the right dose of judgement for the unbeliever.

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 1:20

Grace and peace to you all.

How does the belief in eternal hell actually prove that you reject Christ?

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I remember when a was a Christian and believed in the fable of eternal conscious torment. After studying scripture for myself, I was relieved to discover that God torturing people in fire for all eternity was 100% a myth.

However, in my Christian days, I did not feel good about telling people they were going to hell or even thinking it. It was dreadful. But, I thought it was true so I had to believe it. Still, it was horrible to think that people close to me would burn in fire infinitely for finite sins. Sins that Jesus died for nonetheless.

On the flip side, many Christians today seem to love the idea of pronouncing people to eternal hell. They love the idea that people that were not as righteous as them will burn in fire perpetually. Gleefully, they say its your own fault…you didn’t make the right choices and overcome like I did. So, you deserve it.

The ‘You’ll see’ taunt:

So two baptist preachers come to my house and say to me while leaving, “You’ll see.” This twenty year old up and coming evangelist is referring to his belief that I will be tortured in fire for all eternity. He loves it and can’t wait for me to experience it. He leaves my house feeling as if he did good work for the Lord. After all, he’s wearing a suit.

Online Christians in the droves use ‘you’ll see’ all the time. They want you to go to hell for disagreeing with them. One guy named ‘Duck’ just recently told me that he would be sitting at the table and I will be in hell.

Hey Christian, do you see that the only reason the lie of hell was invented was so that you could take pride in saving yourself ‘apart for Christ’ in order to be better than those that did not do what you did. Think about it. Believing in hell rejects the work of Christ completely.

Yes it does. Salvation is up to you and those not as smart as you will pay for the very sins that Christ died for. So, Christ sacrifice means nothing to you. Only your pride.

Many, not all, Christians pretend to love you until you shed light on their false doctrines. Then, this fake love turns to hate. This hate reflects the hatred of the god worshiped in Christianity. Wanting someone to be tortured in fire for all eternity is sick, psychopathic hatred. The brainwashed christian cannot see this.

“You’ll see,” I’ll be in heaven and take joy in those being burned for all eternity.

I’m pronounced to hell because I say hell doesn’t exist, which it doesn’t. However, for you Christians, when did believing in hell become part of the gospel? I have accepted Christ Jesus as my savior as I know He died for my sins, was dead, and was resurrected for my righteousness. Huh? So what do you actually believe in?

Okay now, contrast that with the ‘You’ll see’ of the true God. I have said “You’ll see” to people that do not believe before. However this is what I mean by that…

To the unbeliever: You’ll see that God is real and Christ died for your sins, was entombed, and resurrected for you. Through judgement, you’ll see that Christ’s work has justified you, made you immortal, made you incorruptible, and a child of God. God will one day overcome your disbelief, your sin, your pain, your loneliness, your death and will be your all.

See, which ‘you’ll see’ reflects an all-loving and all-powerful God?

My ‘you’ll see’ or the self-righteous cackling laughter of the christian ‘you’ll see’ that can’t wait for you to burn in fire while he and his god eat apple pie.

Which glorifies God more? The God that subjects every creature to His power and love through Christ or the god that loses most of his creation to Satan.

Of course, God saving all through Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection.

Check yourself Mr. and Mrs. Religion: The only reason you don’t like this is because it takes away from your accomplishment and gives it to Christ. That is why you believe in eternal hell and want others to experience it…so you get the credit, not Christ.

Grace and peace to you all.

Death is the enemy…

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False translations, Roman control of scripture, the ignorance of church leaders, and the lack of scriptural integrity from the common man have led to a belief in the doctrine of eternal hell.

This false and hideous lie is so ingrained in church and society that mankind believes this is the foe from which we need to be rescued.

So in reality, creating the false enemy of eternal conscious torment actually leads people away from God by thinking it is their ‘free will choice’ that will save them. Therefore, God is no longer God because He loses most of His creation…not to mention this sick and sadistic god tortures his own creatures in fire for all eternity. Would any of you do that to your own kids? I digress.

The almighty God is now a victim of man’s free will. He can do nothing to influence the mighty decision of man. Of course this is false and eternal hell’s objective is exactly that: To get man’s focus off God and on ‘self’ by getting man to focus on the false enemy as opposed to real one.

Okay, so if not eternal hell, then what are we saved from?

Great question. Let’s explore:

In Genesis 2:17, God said to Adam that when he eats from the tree, “To die you shall be dying.” This begins the understanding of the common enemy that is woven throughout scripture. Notice that God did not say, “To eternal fire you shall be tortured.” Okay, that’s the last time I’m going to mention hell because scripture never does.

Adam is a unique human being as he sinned and ‘to die you shall be dying’ was pronounced on him. We, on the other hand, inherit the ‘to die you shall be dying’ part form Adam and because of this, we sin.

12 Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all mankind, on which all sinned — -Romans 5:12

The condemnation of death was given to us by Adam. So Christ saves us from condemnation, death, and sin. As Romans 5:12 says, we inherit death from Adam and because we have this death operating in us, we sin.

Notice in the following verses that we get death from Adam by no action on our part. Therefore, we are justified by Christ by no action on our part. This is what Christ saves us from: The condemnation of death and sin…

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. -Romans 5: 18-19

Now scripture says we are saved from other things, like indignation, vanity, etc. However, all of this is based on death and sin.

So, since because of death we sin, it is important to truly understand what death is exactly in order to understand what we are actually saved from. I have covered this in other articles, so I am going to give the cliff notes version here:

Death is death. It is not life somewhere else. The dead know nothing whatsoever according to Ecclesiastes 9:5. Scripture equates death to sleep because there is no conscious experience for a person that is dead. That is why the dead know nothing. We would remain in this state forever if Christ didn’t enter it and subsequently be resurrected from it. That is exactly what we are saved from…the death state.

Job 14:14 asks if a man dies will he live again? That is the great question posed throughout the old testament and the answer is NO! Man will not live again.

That is…until Jesus Christ came along. Because of Christ, every man will live again!

Again, God said to Adam “To die you shall be dying.” So, we understand that we are saved from the death state. However, we are also saved from all that death brings. The sting of death is sin. So, Christ saves us from all that death brings, including sin.

So to summarize, Christ saves us from the death state and sin.

Now, the ‘dying’ and ‘death’ includes our lives of evil and vanity. WE are subjected to this experience of evil (Ecclesiates 1:13), this old humanity and vanity (Romans 8:20) by God.

Why? So that we will be set free from it. Therefore, Christ Jesus sets us free from the sin, uselessness, and evil that holds us in bondage throughout our entire lives. Christ frees us from the corruption that death brings us. We are freed in order to experience the glorious freedom of being children of God (Romans 8:21-22).

So, what are we saved from?

WE are saved from death (sleep, unconscious state) by putting on Christ’s immortality.

WE are saved from the corruption, sin, and vanity that death brings by putting on the incorruption of Christ.

WE will become brothers and sisters of Christ, like Him in every way. WE are saved from everything He died for.

WE will be filled with God in all things! Saved from every experience of evil given to us in this life. In fact, every experience of evil will magnify our joy when we are perfected.

Grace and peace to you all.

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The truth about man’s will —

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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: 29-30

Yes, 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.

How is death abolished?

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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.

Colossians 1: 15-20 proves that every creature will be reconciled to God through Christ…

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/HtiEm2NYes4?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0

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.

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. 

So much more than religion tells us…

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/jEIbWQ0Dv-4?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0

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.

Romans 11: 33-36

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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.

Free will or God’s Book?

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/0-1fhDmPIPI?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0

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.