tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48438035798848810932023-06-20T06:30:17.412-07:00Building a LegacyWritings of Pastor Jamen Wikler of Legacy Baptist Church in Buffalo, MinnesotaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902352207776325152noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843803579884881093.post-22971988933367242492018-01-26T06:20:00.003-08:002018-01-26T06:20:45.873-08:00A Chronological Christmas<!--[if !mso]>
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<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The following is a chronological account of the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ, combined with the Old Testament prophecies which He fulfilled through His first advent</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /> </b></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -.25pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Matthew 1:18</u></b> – Now the birth of
Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph,
before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -.25pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 1:26-32</u></b> – And in the sixth
month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named
Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David; and the virgin's name <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>Mary.<sup>
</sup>And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thou that art </i>highly favoured, the Lord <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>with thee: blessed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">art </i>thou
among women. And when she saw <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i>,
she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation
this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast
found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.<sup> </sup>He shall be great, and
shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him
the throne of his father David:<sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 9.3pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -.25pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 9:6-7</u></b> – For unto us a
child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his </i>government and peace <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">there shall be </i>no end, upon the throne
of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts
will perform this. </div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 98%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 537.8pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 98%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -.25pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 1:33</u></b> – And he shall reign
over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. </div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -.25pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Daniel 7:13-14, 27</u></b> – I saw in
the night visions, and, behold, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one </i>like
the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and
glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve
him: his dominion <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>an everlasting
dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that </i>which shall not be destroyed. And the kingdom and dominion,
and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 1:34-35</u></b> – Then said Mary
unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?<sup> </sup>And the
angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. </div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 98%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 537.8pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 98%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 7:14</u></b> – Therefore the
Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a
son, and shall call his name Immanuel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 1:36-56</u></b> – And, behold, thy
cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the
sixth month with her, who was called barren.<sup> </sup>For with God nothing
shall be impossible.<sup> </sup>And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.<sup> </sup>And
Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a
city of Juda;<sup> </sup>And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted
Elisabeth.<sup> </sup>And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the
salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with
the Holy Ghost:<sup> </sup>And she spake out with a loud voice, and said,
Blessed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">art </i>thou among women, and
blessed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>the fruit of thy womb.<sup>
</sup>And whence <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>this to me, that
the mother of my Lord should come to me?<sup> </sup>For, lo, as soon as the
voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for
joy.<sup> </sup>And blessed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>she
that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told
her from the Lord.<sup> </sup>And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,<sup>
</sup>And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.<sup> </sup>For he hath
regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all
generations shall call me blessed.<sup> </sup>For he that is mighty hath done
to me great things; and holy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>his
name.<sup> </sup>And his mercy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>on
them that fear him from generation to generation.<sup> </sup>He hath shewed
strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their
hearts.<sup> </sup>He hath put down the mighty from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their </i>seats, and exalted them of low degree.<sup> </sup>He hath
filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.<sup> </sup>He
hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his </i>mercy;<sup> </sup>As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and
to his seed for ever.<sup> </sup>And Mary abode with her about three months,
and returned to her own house.<sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Matthew 1:19-25</u></b> – Then Joseph
her husband, being a just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">man</i>, and
not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But
while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto
him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save
his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be
with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep
did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And
knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his
name JESUS. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 1:57-79</u></b> – Now Elisabeth's
full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.<sup> </sup>And
her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon
her; and they rejoiced with her.<sup> </sup>And it came to pass, that on the
eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias,
after the name of his father.<sup> </sup>And his mother answered and said, Not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i>; but he shall be called John.<sup> </sup>And
they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.<sup>
</sup>And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.<sup> </sup>And
he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they
marvelled all.<sup> </sup>And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loosed</i>, and he spake, and praised God.<sup>
</sup>And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings
were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.<sup> </sup>And
all they that heard <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them </i>laid <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them </i>up in their hearts, saying, What
manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.<sup> </sup>And
his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,<sup>
</sup>Blessed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">be </i>the Lord God of
Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,<sup> </sup>And hath raised
up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;<sup> </sup>As
he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world
began:<sup> </sup>That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand
of all that hate us;<sup> </sup>To perform the mercy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">promised </i>to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;<sup> </sup>The
oath which he sware to our father Abraham,<sup> </sup>That he would grant unto
us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him
without fear,<sup> </sup>In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days
of our life.<sup> </sup>And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the
Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;<sup>
</sup>To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their
sins,<sup> </sup>Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring
from on high hath visited us,<sup> </sup>To give light to them that sit in
darkness and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in </i>the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.<sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></sup></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Malachi 4:2</u></b> – But unto you that
fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;
and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 1:80-2:6</u></b> – And the child
grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his
shewing unto Israel. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.<sup> </sup>(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And </i>this taxing was first made when
Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)<sup> </sup>And all went to be taxed, every one
into his own city.<sup> </sup>And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called
Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)<sup> </sup>To be
taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.<sup> </sup>And so it
was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be
delivered. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Micah 5:2</u></b> – But thou, Bethlehem
Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee
shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth
have been from of old, from everlasting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:7</u></b> – And she brought
forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in
a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">John 1:14</u></b> – And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:8-11</u></b> – And there were in
the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night.<sup> </sup>And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.<sup> </sup>And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people.<sup> </sup>For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 11:1-2</u></b> – And there shall
come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his
roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of
the fear of the LORD;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Jeremiah 23:5</u></b> – Behold, the
days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and
a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the
earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:12-25</u></b> –<sup> </sup>And
this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shall be </i>a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.<sup> </sup>And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying,<sup> </sup>Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.<sup> </sup>And it came to pass, as the angels were gone
away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go
even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord
hath made known unto us.<sup> </sup>And they came with haste, and found Mary,
and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.<sup> </sup>And when they had seen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it</i>, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child.<sup> </sup>And all they that heard <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it </i>wondered at those things which were
told them by the shepherds.<sup> </sup>But Mary kept all these things, and
pondered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them </i>in her heart.<sup> </sup>And
the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that
they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.<sup> </sup>And when eight
days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called
JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.<sup>
</sup>And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were
accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him </i>to the Lord;<sup> </sup>(As it is written in the law of the
Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)<sup> </sup>And
to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A
pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.<sup> </sup>And, behold, there was a
man in Jerusalem, whose name <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>Simeon;
and the same man <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>just and devout,
waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 25:9</u></b> – And it shall be
said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save
us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in
his salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 52:9</u></b> – Break forth into
joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted
his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 7.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:26-30</u></b> – And it was
revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he
had seen the Lord's Christ.<sup> </sup>And he came by the Spirit into the
temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after
the custom of the law,<sup> </sup>Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed
God, and said,<sup> </sup>Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word:<sup> </sup>For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Genesis 12:2-3</u></b> – And I will
make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse
him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:31-32</u></b> –<sup> </sup>Which
thou hast prepared before the face of all people;<sup> </sup>A light to lighten
the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 9:2</u></b> –The people that
walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 49:6</u></b> – And he said, It
is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of
Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a
light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the
earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 60:1-3</u></b> – Arise, shine;
for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For,
behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but
the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the
Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:33-34</u></b> –<sup> </sup>And
Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.<sup> </sup>And
Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">child </i>is set for the fall and rising
again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Isaiah 8:14</u></b> – And he shall be
for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both
the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:35-39</u></b> –<sup> </sup>(Yea,
a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many
hearts may be revealed.<sup> </sup>And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had
lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;<sup> </sup>And she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>a widow of about fourscore and four
years, which departed not from the temple, but served <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God </i>with fastings and prayers night and day.<sup> </sup>And she
coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to
all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.<sup> </sup>And when they had
performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into
Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Matthew 2:1-2</u></b> – Now when Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there
came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King
of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Numbers 24:17</u></b> – I shall see
him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out
of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners
of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Haggai 2:7</u></b> –<sup> </sup>And I
will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will
fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Matthew 2:3-18</u></b> –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Herod the king had heard <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">these things</i>, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes
of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And
they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the
prophet, And thou Bethlehem, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in </i>the
land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee
shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he
had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star
appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for
the young child; and when ye have found <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i>,
bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard
the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went
before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they
saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come
into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down,
and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented
unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a
dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own
country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his
mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for
Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the
young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there
until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod,
when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent
forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts
thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had
diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken
by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation,
and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for </i>her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Jeremiah 31:15</u></b> – Thus saith the
LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be
comforted for her children, because they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were</i>
not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Matthew 2:19-21</u></b> –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of
the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the
young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead
which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and
his mother, and came into the land of Israel. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Hosea 11:1</u></b> –When Israel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a child, then I loved him, and
called my son out of Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Matthew 2:22-23</u></b> –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in
Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither:
notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts
of Galilee:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he came and dwelt in a
city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u style="text-underline: black;">Luke 2:40-52</u></b> –<sup> </sup>And
the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace
of God was upon him.<sup> </sup>Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at
the feast of the passover.<sup> </sup>And when he was twelve years old, they
went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.<sup> </sup>And when they
had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in
Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of it</i>.<sup> </sup>But they, supposing him to have been in the
company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their </i>kinsfolk and acquaintance.<sup> </sup>And when they found him
not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.<sup> </sup>And it came
to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the
midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.<sup> </sup>And
all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.<sup> </sup>And
when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why
hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee
sorrowing.<sup> </sup>And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist
ye not that I must be about my Father's business?<sup> </sup>And they
understood not the saying which he spake unto them.<sup> </sup>And he went down
with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept
all these sayings in her heart.<sup> </sup>And Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favour with God and man. </div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902352207776325152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843803579884881093.post-68837788256818959112018-01-26T06:07:00.003-08:002018-01-26T06:07:48.144-08:00Do People Go to Hell Because of their Sins? Building a Doctrinally Consistent 'House of Cards"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Theology is a “house of cards”. When one considers a certain
doctrinal concept or perspective, he finds that his understanding is important,
not only because of the doctrine in question, but also because of how the
doctrine in question touches many other doctrines. For example, if a man
believes in original sin, that belief fundamentally influences how he
understands human nature; it also fundamentally influences how he views
redemption. Likewise, if a man believes in the immanent return of Jesus Christ,
that belief fundamentally impacts how he understands the rapture of the church
and the tribulation period. To this end, if a “higher”, more foundational truth
is compromised by a “lower”, less important truth, people either recognize the inconsistency
and so “tune out”, or the “house of cards” of their theological consistency
comes crashing down and they must rebuild it from the ground up to conform to
these lesser truths. This is how error is propagated, and even often how cults
are formed. Theology is not just defined, it is built. It begins with the most
basic, most foundational truths and then builds out from those definitions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is often preached that people “go to hell because they are
sinners” and also that they “burn in hell for their sins”. Indeed, when we
preach we emphasize the reality of sinfulness as the essential problem with
humanity, so that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 3:23</b> tells
us <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God</i></b>. Men are sinners,
and because we are sinners we have fallen short of God’s holiness and found
ourselves in the path of God’s wrath. Thus <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans
6:23</b> tells us, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for the wages of sin is death…</i></b>; because mankind is sinful, man
experiences “death”, defined as separation from God.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The place of
separation is called “Hell” in the Bible, a abode of torment which is
eventually cast into the Lake of Fire, called by many names, including <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everlasting
fire</i></b>. The Lake of Fire was not originally created for mankind, but
rather <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew 25:41</b> tells us that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everlasting
fire</i></b> was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prepared for the devil and his angels</i></b>. The Bible is very clear,
however, that this place of eternal torment is the end destination of all who
sin. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Revelation 21:8</b> says, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> Sinners burn
in the Lake of Fire, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everlasting fire</i></b>, a condition also
called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the second death</i></b>. The “first death” being when we “die”
properly, and our immaterial separates from the material vessel we call our
body. The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">second death</i></b> being when the eternal spirit of a man who has
sinned is finally and irrevocably separated from the presence of God forever. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Everlasting
fire</i></b>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This
essential doctrine becomes the foundation for the message of redemption. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For
the wages of sin is death,</i></b> we read in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 6:23</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord</i></b>. The essence of the gospel is summarized in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 Corinthians 15:3-4,</b> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures;<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>And that he was
buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">.
Notice why it is that Christ died:<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Christ died for our sins</i></b>. It is
because we are sinners that Jesus had to die. It is because <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the
wages of sin is death</i></b>, and without some reconciliation of this point
mankind would be inevitably destined to eternal separation from God, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the
second death.</i></b> Paul would therefore declare to Timothy in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 Timothy 1:15, </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">is</span> a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
If “why did Christ die” is the question, one could answer no better than to
echo the words of Paul, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to save sinners</i></b>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If sin
separates us from God (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the wages of sin is death</i></b>), and Jesus
died for sinners (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners</i></b>), then it
would seem to naturally follow that all who burn in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal fire</i></b> one day do
so because they are sinners, and so they are “burning for their sins”; as a
just payment for their sin. This would be a natural assumption, but
foundationally incorrect. While it is true that all men are sinners. While it
is true that our sin has separated us from a holy God. While it is true that
this separation is the state in which, if we remain, we will end up in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal
fire</i></b>. It is not true that the sins we commit are the deciding factor
for whether we go to the Lake of Fire, nor can it rightly be said that men burn
in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal
fire</i></b> for the sins they commit. How is this possible? This is possible
because of the nature of the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. When
once a person fully understands the nature of the atonement, he then can
understand the nature of eternal punishment properly. In other words, we must
lay the foundation for our theological “house of cards”, and then build
carefully upon it Biblical truths.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
foundation of this understanding demands a grace-oriented understanding of the
gospel. What is the gospel? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1
Corinthians 15:34</b> says<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, For I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures.</i></b> Paul taught in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 1:16</b> that the gospel is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the power of God unto salvation</i></b>. He
would teach in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 Corinthians 1:23</b>
that the gospel is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God</i>.</b> The gospel is
man’s source of salvation. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">How does one
receive the gospel? The answer is essential to this study, for if one believes
that the gospel can be received or retained by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any </i>form of human merit, be it effort, holiness, making God the
“Lord of your life”, or “repenting of your sins”, then the whole “house of
cards” of redemption by grace comes crashing down. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ephesians 2:8-9</b> tells <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast.</i></b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 4:4-5</b>
says, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of
debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness</i>.</b> Paul would write again
in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 11:6</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And if by grace, then is it no
more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is
it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. </i></b>If one assumes that
God intended His Word to be read as plain language, and understood in clarity
and simplicity, then it must be admitted that the only “common denominator”
that links <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> passage in the Bible
where the gospel is taught is the “common denominator” of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">belief</i>, and belief alone. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The true
gospel, a gospel of grace alone, becomes the foundation to the theological
“house of cards” upon which the rest of this doctrine is built. If one believes
a human merit-based gospel, including any mentioned in the previous paragraph,
then the subsequent arguments concerning the nature of eternal judgment in the
Lake of Fire will not be acceptable, because it is built upon a different
theological “house of cards”.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">What happened
when Jesus died on the cross? The Bible says in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2 Corinthians 5:21, </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For he hath made him <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">to be</span>
sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him</span></i></b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">.<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">On the cross God the Father <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">made</i>
His son to be sin for mankind. He poured out His wrath for the sin of the world
upon the innocent Lamb of God, of whom John the Baptist would declare that he <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">taketh away the sin of the world </i>(John
1:29)</b>. Jesus paid for the sin of mankind. Paul states in <b>Romans 4:25</b>
that Jesus was <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">delivered for our
offences, and was raised again for our justification.</i></b> Paul quoted <b>Psalm
69:9 </b>when he sought to exhort the strong in faith to bear the infirmities
of the weak, reminding God people of the example of our Savior, that <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the reproaches of them that reproached thee
fell on me. </i></b>Both of these concepts are well summarized by Peter in <b>1
Peter 2:22-24</b>, <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed.</i></b> This is the message of the great prophet Isaiah
in his Messianic discourse of <b>Isaiah 53</b>, declaring in <b>verses 4-6</b>,<b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>But he <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">was</span> wounded for our transgressions, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">he was</span> bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace
<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">was</span> upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">. </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And again in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">verse 12</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Therefore will I divide him a portion with
the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath
poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and
he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.</i></b> Perhaps
all of these verses are best summed up by the Word of Jesus Himself upon the
cross, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli,
Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken
me? </i></b>(<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew 27:46</b>).</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Once it is
established that Jesus came to save sinners, and that Jesus paid for sin on the
cross, the next consideration is the nature of the atonement itself. For whose
sins did Jesus atone? Whose sins were paid for on the cross? Indeed, in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Isaiah 53:6</b> we read the words, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the
iniquity of us all</i></b>, and John’s declaration was that this Lamb of God <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">taketh
away the sin of the world</i></b>. The most poignant verse in relation to this
concept is given in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 John 2:2,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for
ours only, but also for <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">the sins of</span>
the whole world.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This verse tells us that Jesus satisfied the wrath
of God for mankind, making specific note of the reality that this atonement
does not simply extend to those who are in Christ, but to the whole world. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If
this is indeed the case, then the gospel is unnecessary, is it not? If the sins
of all men were paid for on the cross of Calvary, then would we not expect that
the world has been wholly reconciled unto God, that sin is no longer an issue,
and that the world can breathe easy? This is, of course, not the case, and it
is at this point that the clarity of the gospel itself becomes essential to our
understanding.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Just because
Christ’s atoning work paid for the sin of all mankind, it does not follow that
all mankind will receive the benefits that this payment purchased. Though atonement
was made for all men through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the
cross, not all will be saved. John would write in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 1:11-12, </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He came unto his own, and his own received him not.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">even</span>
to them that believe on his name.</span></i></b><b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jesus
told Nicodemus in <b>John 3:16</b>, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life</span></i></b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">.<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Most clearly, perhaps, we read the words of Paul in <b>Galatians 3:22</b>,
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But the scripture hath concluded all
under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them
that believe</span></i></b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">.<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is true that all men are sinners. It
is true that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. It is true that on the cross Jesus
was the propitiation of the sins of the whole world. It is just as true that
only those who believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. The
nature of this belief is beyond the scope of our consideration today, but it is
perhaps sufficient to say it is far more than just agreeing that Jesus died on
the cross. Those who are given <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everlasting
life</i></b> are those who, in the words of <b>Hebrews 6:1</b>, experience<b> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">repentance from dead works, and…faith toward
God</i></b>. Indeed <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">repentance from
dead works </i></b>is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> repentance
from sin. Repentance from sin being a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">work
of merit </i>which has no place in the message of grace. Rather, <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">repentance from dead works </i></b>describes
those who acknowledge their sinful state, their need of salvation, their
incapacity to save themselves, and the solution to be found in Christ. Outside
of this, they rest in unbelief, and remain bound in their sin. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This is how the Bible describes those who are unbelieving. Paul would
write in <b>1 Corinthians 6:9-11</b>, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>And such were some of you: but ye are
washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. </span></i></b><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Paul characterizes the unbeliever by the sins he
commits. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He makes clear the character of those who shall not enter the
kingdom of God. He states that believers were previously of this same
character, but were <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">washed…sanctified…justified</i></b>. That at the moment of belief a
supernatural work is accomplished in the heart of a man, so that his character
is changed from being defined by sin to being defined by Christ. This does not
mean he will stop sinning, but rather that he is no longer “a sinner”. Paul
describes it thus in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ephesians 2:1, </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And you <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">hath he quickened</span>, who were dead in trespasses and sins.</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We were dead in our sins, but have been made alive. At that
moment, (called variously “the new birth”, “salvation”, “being born-again”,
among others) Paul tells us in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2
Corinthians 5:17</b> that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">old things are passed away, behold, all
things are become new.</i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">These facts
lead us to a question, and a major point of contention among many orthodox
systems of Bible interpretation: when Jesus died on the cross, did He actually
pay for the sins of all mankind, only some of mankind, or just offer
“potential” for the sins of mankind to be paid? Several theories exist, drawn
by the major theological division among denominations and theological systems. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Reformed
believers assert that the blood of Jesus Christ was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i> shed for those who would be saved, those the Bible calls <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the elect</i>. This doctrine flows naturally
out of their erroneous belief that God has predestinated men and women to
heaven or hell. If this is the case that all men, from eternity past, are
indeed chosen for eternal life or <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal fire</i></b>, then it would be
ridiculous to assume that Jesus’ death was for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the whole world.</i> Jesus would not need to die for those who had no
chance of redemption. Thus, they believe that Jesus atoned only for the sins of
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the elect</i>. Unfortunately, this is not
what the Bible says, for as we have stated already in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 John 2:2, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And he is the
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the
whole world.</i></b> Jesus is either the propitiation for the whole world, or
He isn’t…and He is. It is acknowledged that this is a simplistic argument, and
one which many a reformed theologian has tackled with gymnastic aplomb. Yet it
is that, in the beautiful simplicity of the Word of God we find this humble
truth, that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, not only for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the elect.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In other
circles, the nature of Jesus’ redemptive work is broader. They acknowledge that
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but would characterize it (though
they may not admit this) as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">provisional</i>
atonement. In other words, that Jesus made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">provision</i>
for all sin to be atoned, but that this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">provision</i>
is only applied to the hearts of those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
To this end, the wrath of God for sin still rests upon the unbeliever. They are
positioned for Hell because they are sinners, and they still bear their sin,
and if they die in their sin then they will have to bear the punishment of the
sins they commit for eternity. Such ideas are a natural outworking of those who
believe that a person must “repent of their sins” in order to be saved. For
indeed, if a man must repent of his sins to be saved, then it is at this moment
of merit-based sorrow, a concept foreign to salvation in the Bible, that God
chooses to apply Jesus’ work to their sins. This concept is, at its root, an
offence to salvation by grace, and finds no consistent basis in the Scriptures.
If one were to take every instance where some standard other than belief alone
is included in the gospel message, one would be forced to acknowledge not only
repentance of sin as a basis for salvation (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mark 1:15</b>), but also baptism (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke
3:3</b>), confessing with your mouth (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans
10:9</b>), and any number of the various contextual presentations regarding the
nature of belief as it related to various people groups at various times and
placed. Yet if we simplify every presentation of the gospel down to its “common
denominator”, belief alone in the gospel stands as the supreme standard by
which a sinner saved. As Jesus said in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John
5:24</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Verily, verily, I say unto
you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from
death unto life.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We have
considered already some of the reasoning for a position that would believe men
to spend eternity burning in punishment for their sins. Paul calls the
unbelievers <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dead in trespasses and sins</i></b> in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ephesians 2:1</b>. He states in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1
Corinthians 6:9-11</b> that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the unrighteous shall not inherit the
kingdom of God</i></b>, then proceeds to a list of various sins which
characterize these <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unrighteous.</i></b> Paul says a similar thing in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Galatians 5:19-21,</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">these</span>; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness,<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">you</span> in time past, that they which do
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">.</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In each</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> of these
cases we find definitive statements about the character of those who will not
enter the kingdom of God: that men whose character is defined by sin and
wickedness shall not inherit the kingdom. To this end, these circles believe
that Jesus’ death was sufficient to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">make
provision</i> for all men to be saved, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">made
provision</i> for the wrath of God to pass over men and women who believe on
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved; but that those who reject this
salvation will go to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal fire </i></b>as a payment for their
sins. Consequently, among these groups there is cause for disagreement as to
how long that payment will last. Indeed, if men burn in the Lake of Fire to pay
for their sins, then there is cause to admit the possibility that those who “sin
less” may burn for less time than those who “sin more”. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In either
case, to follow this line of reasoning is to admit that Jesus’ death did not
actually atone for the sin of all mankind, because if a man does not accept the
gift of eternal life by belief in the gospel, then he spends the rest of his
eternity paying for those very sins. The line of thinking simply cannot be
entertained that men will burn in the Lake of Fire for sins <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">already atoned for </i>by Jesus Christ, so
then Jesus must not have fully atoned for them. Once again, however, this line
of reasoning conflicts with the simple foundational truth of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 John 2:2, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but
also for the sins of the whole world.</i></b> And remember what we are attempting
to do here: build our theological “house of cards”. Each “lower truth” must
rest upon the firm foundation of a “higher truth”. If Jesus had just made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">provision</i> for the sin of mankind to be
atoned, and if each unbeliever bears the weight of his own sin into eternity,
can Jesus truly be called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Last Adam</i>?
Does this line of thinking properly account for the teaching of Paul in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 5:19, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous</i></b>? Does this rationale
really fulfill the prophet words of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Isaiah
53:6, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">…and the LORD hath laid on him the
iniquity of us all</i></b>?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Must it
naturally follow that the reason why sinners do not enter the kingdom is
because they do sinful things? Must it naturally follow that the reason why
they experience <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fire</i></b> is
because of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their</i> sin? Or does the
Bible explain things differently? Can it be that Jesus did in fact<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>atone for the sin of the whole world,
but that people will still burn in the Lake of Fire for eternity? This is, in
fact, what the Bible teaches.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It has been
established already that the Bible teaches the condition upon which men are
saved, and so the condition upon which they enter the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kingdom of God</i></b>, is
salvation by grace, through faith, in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the
cross. What we furthermore find, however, is that the condition upon which
people <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do not</i> enter the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">kingdom
of God</i></b>, as presented in the Bible, is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> their sinful deeds, but rather only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> singular sinful deed: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unbelief</i>.
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 3:16-18</b> says <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him
might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
then read in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 3:35-36,</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him</i></b>. These verses
state very plainly that the condition of condemnation is not a man’s sinful
deeds, but rather <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. </i></b>It then states that the wrath of God abides upon men, not because they
are doing said sinful deeds, but because he <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">believeth not the Son</i></b>. If
these verses are to be believed, not only is the exclusive condition for heaven
“belief alone in the gospel of Jesus Christ”, but the opposite is also true:
that the exclusive condition for the Lake of Fire is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he hath not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God</i></b>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John 16</b> Jesus promises to His disciples
that, when He goes away, He would send to them His Holy Spirit, called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the
Comforter</i></b>. Jesus promised that this Comforter would have a role in
convincing the world of the truth of the gospel. Notice how Jesus describes
this convicting work of the Holy Spirit in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">John
16:8-11: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And when he is come, he will
reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin,
because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father,
and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.</i></b>
Jesus gives three points of doctrine of which the Holy Spirit would convict <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the world</i>: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of sin, and of righteousness, and
of judgment</i></b>. Jesus then defines what He means by each of these points
of doctrine. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Of sin</i></b>, Jesus says, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because they believe not on me</i></b>.
Jesus says that the sin of which the Holy Spirit would convict men is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not their multitude of sins,</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>but only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> sin: the sin of unbelief. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Within this
line of interpretation great clarity is given to Jesus’ words in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mark 3:28-29</b> as well. Jesus says, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Verily
I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and
blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme
against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal
damnation. </i></b>Jesus states here that there is an<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>unforgiveable sin, which He says is for one to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">blaspheme
against the Holy Ghost.</i></b> Jesus states that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all sins shall be forgiven unto
the sons of men</i></b> save this one. If the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 John 2:2</b> is correct, then on the cross all sins <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were</i> forgiven unto the sons of men;
Jesus was the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Then, Jesus would say,
there is only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one </i>unforgiven sin: one
sin for which the atoning work of Jesus Christ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cannot</i> pay: not believing in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
There is only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> sin that stands
between mankind and God: blaspheming the convicting work of the Holy Spirit in
the heart when He divinely convicts a man of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the sin of unbelief</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If this is
true: if indeed it is not only that belief is the exclusive condition of
eternal life, but also that unbelief is the exclusive condition of eternal
judgment, and the exclusive sin for which men will face <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">eternal fire</i></b>, then we
should expect these principles to be reflected in judgment passages. As Paul
warns in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2 Thessalonians </b>of the
great <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">falling away</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and the
working of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mystery of iniquity</i></b> and the revelation of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that Wicked</i></b> which we
would believe to be the time of the tribulation, he describes a world which
will be deeply deceived by evil. He writes in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2 Thessalonians 2:11-12,</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.</i></b> Paul
says that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the damned </i>are those <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">who
believed not the truth.</i></b> In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Revelation
20:11-15</b> we read these words, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And I saw a great white throne, and him that
sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was
found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;
and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into
the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.</i></b> The Bible tells us
that at the great white throne of judgment books were opened, and another book
was opened. In the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">books</i> were written
the works of men, and every man is judged according to his works. While it
would not seem that believers will stand before the judgment of the great white
throne, the Bible makes it clear that believers too will be judged by their
works. Paul writes in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2 Corinthians
5:10, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.</i> </b>For
the believer, our works will determine our eternal rewards. In the case of the
unbeliever, we know that the day of judgment will be more tolerable for some
unbelievers than others. Indeed, Jesus told the cities of Galilee, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Woe
unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been
done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago
repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you</i></b>. (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke 10:13-14</b>). In each of these judgments, however, there is
another book that is opened. This book is called <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the book of life</i></b>, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Revelation 20:15</b> tells us that it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this book</i> which determines who enters
into life everlasting, and who is cast into the Lake of Fire. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Within the
perspective presented here is theological and doctrinal consistency. It
explains how Jesus could be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Last Adam</i>,
regaining all that was lost in Adam. It explains how Jesus could simultaneously
be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world and still condemn the
unbeliever to eternal judgment. It properly refutes those who would try to
argue that men can graduate out of judgment through enough years of “burning
off their impurities”. It explains how Jesus’ blood could be shed for the lost
without being wasted. Much more than this, however, the doctrinal “house of
cards” that can be built on top of this truth is, in a word, liberating. It
highlights the reality of grace, magnifies the truth that the redeemed will
have no basis for which to boast in his own merit, and even establishes the
deepest foundations for arguments of eternal security; for if indeed salvation
is truly by grace alone, earned or held by no merit of my own, then the claim
that I could somehow lose it, or fall short of it, is nonsensical. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">These truths
can change the way we understand evangelism. Many believers (particularly
outside of reformed circles) feel tremendous guilt over the amount that they
evangelize, and more specifically tremendous pressure regarding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to evangelize. Many believers suffer
under the guilt of not “knowing enough”, of not having “convincing arguments”
to prove people are sinful enough, or that they need to be saved. They feel as
though it is their job to be “compelling” and so “win people to Christ”. Now,
there is nothing wrong with being compelling, or having good arguments. But
when we build our understanding of evangelism upon a proper doctrinal “house of
cards”, we are reminded that the condition for heaven or hell is belief on
Christ alone. The message is simple, and is indeed the best of news: Jesus has
already done the work, your sin is paid for, and it is for simply to receive
the gift. This is a message we can all give, and then trust the Holy Spirit to
convict their hearts, and help guide them into the fullness of these truths. Furthermore,
it strongly rebuts any argument that “all roads lead to heaven”. Jesus is, and
indeed must be, the only way, for indeed, His atonement is the only sufficient
payment for sin, and all who rest under God’s judgment for eternity do so, not
because they were “bad people”, but because <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they have not believed in the
name of the only begotten Son of God.</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">These truths
can also change the way we live as believers. Many believers struggle with
feeling “released” from their sins when they confess them. They know that they
are forgiven, but they still rest under the guilt and the condemnation of their
sinful tendencies and deficiencies. Paul tells us, however, in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 8:1, </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There is</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="X-NONE" style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: X-NONE; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It may be that the reason why believers
still rest under self-condemnation for their sinful choices, even after
confessing them, is because they misunderstand redemption. If Jesus atoned for
every sin – past, present, and future – of every man on the cross, then the
wrath of God was fully, utterly, and completely satisfied against the sin of
the world on the cross. To this end Jesus taught in <b>John 5:21-27, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and
quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father
judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men
should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not
the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say
unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death
unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when
the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have
life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because
he is the Son of man. </i></b>God has transferred all judgment to the Son,
because the wrath of the Father against the world has been assuaged. Jesus’
wrath rests upon those who have rejected Him. At the moment of salvation, the
Great Judge of all the earth becomes the One who calls us <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my friends</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> (</i><b>John 15:14</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">),</i></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">
and the Father Who committed all judgment into our Friend’s hands is called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> Father. Paul would go on to ask in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Romans 8:31-39</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is
God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or
peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long;
we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This power, while it most
certainly can be understood regardless of one’s direct perspective on the
nature of eternal punishment, is consistently established and deeply magnified
as it is built upon the “house of cards” of the complete atoning work of Jesus
on the cross. This liberates us to serve the Lord, not in bondage, not in
obligation; but to serve Him the way we were designed to serve Him: in abject
love.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Finally,
these truths help us reject judgmentalism and magnify grace. We are reminded by
the condition of “belief alone” that eternal life and eternal judgment are not
constructed based on moral aptitude. Just as no man will be in heaven for his
own righteousness, the Lake of Fire is not about “evil men”, it is about
rejection of Christ. Will evil men be in the Lake of Fire? Absolutely. Will
many moral men be there as well? Jesus said in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew 7:22-23, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name
have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will
I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.</i></b>
When we look at the unbelieving world, we are tempted to resent them for their
sinfulness. We then remember that we too are sinful, that the only thing
standing between us and the death we deserve is the grace of Christ, and that
this grace is extended to other evil men as well, for indeed, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 Timothy 2</b> tells us that Jesus <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will
have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.</i></b>
It is an unfortunate reality of the heart of men that we comfort ourselves in
trouble and tribulation by considering the reality that people will burn in the
Lake of Fire “for their evil”. That a man like Adolf Hitler is now “burning in
Hell for His evil”. That evil men alive right now will one day “burn in Hell
for their offenses”. Yet when we gain a perspective of the complete atonement
of Jesus Christ, we are reminded that Jesus was already punished for the evil
of Adolf Hitler. That the evil of men was poured out on Christ. That our Savior
was stricken for their misdeeds already. To this end, Adolf Hitler will burn in
eternal fire for the same reason anyone else will: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God.</i></b> Such a perspective is able to
melt the heart of stone and give us the compassion necessary to obey the
commission of our Lord in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matthew
5:43-48, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you,
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be
the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the
publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than
others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect</i>.</b> It becomes much easier to love
the unlovely when we realize Jesus bore the wrath for their evil choices, and
that the Lake of Fire is not reserved for their misdeeds, but for their
unbelief.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The “house of
cards” we have built today, in summary, looks something like this: At its
foundation is the conviction that Jesus’ death on the cross secures full and
complete atonement for the sins of all the world – every sin of every man past,
present, and future. On top of this truth we build an understanding that God
the Father has decreed that faith in His Son is the exclusive qualification for
eternal life, and any man who rejects faith in His Son is thus condemned to
eternal torment for the blasphemy of rejecting the convicting work of the Holy
Spirit, commissioned to convince the world of the sin of unbelief in Jesus
Christ’s atoning work. This level of doctrine emboldens us to reject the idea
that men can eventually get out of the Lake of Fire when they have been
punished sufficiently “for their sins”. We rest in the reality that all
judgment has been given unto the Son, who is our friend, and who will avenge us
against all wrongs committed by those who have rejected Him as their Savior. On
top of this truth we build the conviction that we dare not judge men based on
pure moralism, for indeed all such legal expectations are fulfilled in Christ.
It enables us to love those we would be predisposed to hate. We are blessed
with the joy of “full release”, delighting in the power of the atonement to
provide for us, not only atonement from sin, but absolute release from the
wrath of God and the joy of living in complete fellowship with the Creator God.
Finally, it helps us remember the context within which we evangelize: we tell a
message of joy to those who do not have it. It is a simple message, backed by
the convincing power of the Holy Spirit to show men that they need to believe
on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 2.25pt; margin-top: 1.5pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri Light",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In this case,
the whole is more than the sum of its parts. What is created here is a
consistent doctrinal and theological position that emphasized what the Bible
emphasizes, and avoids many of the pitfalls that often accompany other theological
viewpoints. It is a liberating point of view which magnifies the atoning work
of Christ, the overwhelming grace of God, and the preeminence of Jesus as the
only way to heaven.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902352207776325152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843803579884881093.post-6294656774856556532018-01-26T06:03:00.002-08:002018-01-26T06:03:49.003-08:00The Doubts of John the Baptist<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Matthew 11:1-11</span></b></div>
<div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And it came to pass, when
Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to
teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the
works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he
that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them,
Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive
their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the
dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed
is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began
to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the
wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to
see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in
kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you,
and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send
my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I
say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater
than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven
is greater than he.</span></b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luke 7:19-23</span></b></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And John calling unto him
two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come?
or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John
Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look
we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and
plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then
Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have
seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And
blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.</span></b></i></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As one
reads this passage with understanding, the question arises: how is it that John
the Baptizer, the man who was announced by the angel Gabriel to go before
Messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), have doubted the
ministry of the very man whom he had announced? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
circumstance of John the Batpizer’s life and ministry are best known through
the gospel of Mark. It is in this gospel, by means of retrospection, that Mark
recounts the events surrounding the imprisonment and eventual execution of John
at the hands of Herod the tetrarch. The account is also briefly mentioned in
the gospel of Luke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">History
informs us that the woman Herodias had previously been married to Philip, but
had at some point left him in favor of his brother, Herod Antipas.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4843803579884881093#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
Not only was this woman the wife of his brother, but she was also Herod’s
niece, the daughter of his half-brother Aristobulus. While Herod was not
Jewish, being half Idumean and half Samaritan by birth, he was a leader in
Israel, and thus assumed some manner of personal responsibility before the
nation of Israel for his actions. His gross immortality with Herodias caught
the attention of John the Baptizer, who had at some point spoken against
Herod’s sinful behavior, stating plainly that it was not lawful for Herod to
have his brother’s wife (Mark 6:18).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was
Herodias, not Herod, who was particularly angry against John for these words. The
Scriptures tell us that she sought to have him killed, but Herod was a
particularly superstitious man, and had some level of respect for John’s
authority, hearing John’s messages readily and observing John’s sayings. Thus
Herod was not willing to kill him, but only to imprison him as a means of
pacifying the wrath of Herodias.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
amount of time John spent in prison was unknown, but the text seems to indicate
that once he had been arrested, he was never again released. Mark 6:27 reveals
that, in the process of time, Herodias was successful in her demand that John
be killed. It is the interlude, however, that we are most interested in: the
time between when John was arrested and when Herod had him beheaded.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Scriptures tell us that, following several events in the ministry of Jesus
Christ, John the Baptized sent two of his disciples to Jesus to inquire whether
or not He was the Messiah, the one who should come. How strange it is that the
very man who was chosen by God to herald the Messiah, and the man who had seen
the Spirit descend like a dove upon him, and the man who had heard the words,
“this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17); would also
be the man who now questions whether or not Jesus is the One who was to come..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There
are several important considerations as we seek to understand John’s
motivations in sending his disciples. The first consideration was his temporal
state at the time of his question. The second consideration was the near
universal expectation of the Jews concerning the appearance of their Messiah.
The final consideration is that of Jesus’ words and actions to that point in
His ministry, and how they would have been received by His audience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know
about you, but there are certain days in my life – certain seasons even – when
it seems as though the promises of God just aren’t comforting me the way that
they should. This isn’t God’s fault: the promises have not failed, nor has God
faltered; but rather it is my faith in those promises that has faltered, even
when I know them to be true. Such an attitude is not unheard of, even in the
material world. I know my wife loves me, but there are days when emotions or
circumstances attempt to override fact, and my confidence falters. I know that
I have been called to be a Pastor, but there are seasons in my life where
circumstances or emotions override this knowledge and cause me to doubt my vocation.
I know just as well that “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,
unto the glory of God by us” (2 Corinthians 1:20), yet my resolve in God’s
promises is not always as consistent as it ought to be. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John was
sitting in a prison cell; his life could end at any moment. He had spent years
knowing that he would be Prophet of the Most High. He had baptized the Lord,
and had heard the blessed declaration of Sonship delivered by God in heaven.
The higher a man rises, spiritually and emotionally, the harder the fall if
circumstances change for the worse. This is the reality of the human condition.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is
not this author’s intent to justify faithlessness, nor to defend John’s wrong
actions or motives on the basis of his unrelated spiritual successes; yet it is
our tendency to elevate men of greatness to extra-human status, thus assuming
that his every recorded action must be righteous by default. In doing so, we do
these men (and women) and disservice, and run the risk of stripping Glory from
God and directing it in ignorance toward the vessels of honor that God
graciously used to fulfill His sovereign purposes. We would do well to
remember, as well, that while Jesus never justified John’s doubt, he did go on
to defend John’s character, and declare him to be the greatest of men born to
woman. High praise indeed!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So it is
that we first consider John’s personal emotions, spiritual temptations, and
level of personal discouragement as possible factors that may have motivated
his doubt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
second consideration we will address concerns the almost universal expectation
of the Jews concerning the advent of their Messiah. If the gospels teach us
anything concerning the Jewish mind, it was their myopic expectation of the
kingdom that Messiah would usher in. The restored Kingdom was the very essence
of all Jewish expectation. For hundreds of years the proud people of Israel had
been the doormat of every world power. The Babylonians, the Medo-Persians, the
Greeks, the Egyptians, the Syrians, and finally the Romans. Just when they
thought they had cast off one oppressor, the next was waiting at the door. Some
of these overlords were benevolent, others were excessively cruel, but either
way Israel was not sovereign! Everything that the Jews longed for religiously
was directed towards God’s promises throughout the law and the prophets of the
Messiah, the One who would come and cast off all heathen oppressors, re-gather
and unite the nation of Israel, and lead them into a perpetual peace and
prosperity under the direct shepherding of Jehovah God. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
gospels are filled with Jewish remarks concerning this expectation. There was a
large number of Jews who refused to believe on Jesus until the day that they
saw Him throw off their oppressors and claim His right as King. And was this
not, even in the ministry of Jesus Christ, seemingly a reasonable expectation.
Matthew 4:17 tells us Jesus’ gospel message: “From that time Jesus began to
preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John
proclaimed the nearness of the Kingdom, Jesus proclaimed the nearness of the
Kingdom…the Jews expected the Kingdom to come. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
problem, then, was not this expectation, but rather the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">logical outworking</i> of their expectation. The Jews heard the promise
of the Kingdom, and so rationalized in their minds the order of events that
would be required to see this Kingdom brought about. That order would be something
like this: the King is revealed, the people get behind Him, He overthrows the
Roman oppressors, He sets up His throne, and Israel lives happily ever after.
John the Baptizer recognized another important step: repentance. John rightly
recognized that the people’s hearts need to be prepared, and so preached this
repentance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But
there was something that even John had not anticipated: the possibility that
the people would reject repentance, and thus reject their Messiah. So
unanticipated was this scenario that as John witnessed the nation divide
between the believers and unbelievers, and as John witnessed Jesus continue to
preach spiritual repentance rather than national deliverance, his confidence
began to waiver as to whether or not this was the King who would unite the
nation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Even the
inner twelve, the men who had followed Jesus and been taught by Him for several
years, were not able to overcome their false understand of God’s Messianic plan
until the 50 days after Jesus’ death, when the Holy Spirit fell upon them at
Pentecost. In Matthew 18:1 the disciples spent their time debating over which
of them would be the greatest in the Kingdom. In Matthew 20:21 the mother of
James and John asked Jesus to allow her boys to sit beside Him in the Kingdom.
Even after Jesus’ death and resurrection, after Jesus had opened the eyes of
His disciples’ understanding to recognize God’s divine salvific purpose, they
asked Jesus in Acts 1:6, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the
kingdom to Israel?” The Jewish mind was myopic in its expectation that
Messiah’s appearance would inherently bring about the Kingdom.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
reason for this overwhelming Jewish expectation is beyond the scope of this
paper, but it is sufficient to mention that the nature of Old Testament
prophecy, when read at face value and in a linear and chronological fashion,
does indeed present the Kingdom as appearing immediately following Messiah’s
advent. It is not until the writings of Paul that it is made clear that the
church age was a “prophetic mystery”: that there is no indication of the church
in any Old Testament prophecy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John was
no different in his expectation. Though he, like many in Israel, were able to
see past the apparent contradictions between Jesus’ ministry and their
understanding of Old Testament prophecy through faith, this did not alter the
fact that in their minds they still had a strong expectation of the nearness of
the physical Kingdom. Yet with each passing day, as Jesus’ teaching went forth,
His words would serve only do further alienate Jesus’ ministry from Jewish
Messianic expectation. John being in prison, and unable to see Jesus’ miracles
and hear His word first-hand, would perhaps suffer a deeper faith crisis than
most in Israel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Such can
also be the case in the church today. When we, as God’s people, allow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">logical inferences</i> based upon God’s Word
to place undue expectations upon God and His sovereign plan, we can falter in
our understanding of Scripture and thus blind ourselves to the weightier
matters of the law. We run the risk of becoming so loyal to our inferences
regarding God’s plan that we fail to see the realities of God’s plan. Such is
the case in every area of theology, from salvation to Christian liberty to
prophecy, when we allow our logical expectations to override God’s Word, such
error can blind us to Truth, and lead others into our blindness as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
brings us to our final consideration, one which is closely related to the
previous thought. The Jews’ expectation was heavily prejudiced toward an
immediate revelation of the physical Kingdom. At the point of John’s question,
Jesus’ teaching had focused upon the Jews’ repentance, but had presented a
decidedly unique understanding of the Kingdom, its purpose, and its timetable.
We reference particularly the gospel of Luke, as it would seem Luke’s account
is likely the most chronological in nature. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus
had performed great miracles among the Jews. In Luke 4:38-41 Jesus healed
Simon’s mother and preached in the synagogues of Galilee. In Luke 5 Jesus called
Jewish disciples, healed leprosy and commanded the man to declare his cleansing
according to the Mosaic law; he also healed a paralytic. These were all signs
of the Kingdom, consistent with the Old Testaement declarations of theKingdom
being a place of near perfection: a reversal of the curse and the restoration
of Israel. It was here, however, that things began to be…unexpected. When Jesus
healed the paralytic, Luke 5:20 tells us He said this to the man, “Man, thy
sins are forgiven thee.” This was very significant, and the Jews took notice.
Their response in verse 21 was, “Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who
can forgive sins, but God alone?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here it
was the public perception began to diverge strongly between believers and
unbelievers. Though the nation began to split, however, to the believers this
was not surprising; Messianic prophecy announced that the Christ would be God,
and those who truly believed knew this to be true. Then things became even more
strange. In Luke 5:29 Jesus is seen eating and drinking, not with just and
devout Jews, but with publicans, a group of Jews that were seen as traitors to
national pride for their work with Rome to collect taxes. When the scribes and
Pharisee confronted Jesus, His response in verse 32 was simply, “I came not to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
concept was somewhat unique to much of the nation. The Jews had worked
tirelessly to keep themselves ritualistically clean, so much so that the Mosaic
law became the lifeblood of the nation. In the minds of the devout, this
loyalty was done with the intent that they would be ready for Messiah, and now
this man Jesus, claiming to be Messiah, was not rallying the pious around Him,
but rather consorting with the unfaithful. In the mind of any Jew, this would
be a shock, to say the least. Thing get even more strange, however.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Luke
5:33 the scribes and Pharisees questioned Jesus’ commitment to the law, noting
that His disciples did not fast as was customary in Jewish culture. Jesus’
response in verses 34-35 was thus: “Can ye make the children of the
bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come,
when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in
those days.” Jesus then went on to give a parable, one which they would not
understand but which, to the modern believer, is very significant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus
said in Luke 5:36-39, “No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if
otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of
the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles;
else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall
perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No
man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old
is better.” In this parable Jesus announced something new, something so new
that it would not possibly fit into the “old bottle” of the law. This would be
new wine, and necessitate a new bottle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We find
more of the same in Luke 6:1-5. The disciples are in the corn fields on the
Sabbath, plucking ears of corn and eating them. Again, such action was contrary
to Jewish tradition concerning the expectations of the Mosaic law, and thus
overtly offensive to the sensibilities of the Jewish leaders. Likewise, in Luke
6:6-11, Jesus heals a withered hand on the Sabbath, offending the traditional
restriction imposed by Jewish leaders according to their interpretation of the
Mosaic law. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Following
such open and clear manifestations of the Jews’ false loyalties to the law
above even their loyalty to the God who gave them the law, Jesus gives what is
commonly referred to as The Sermon on the Mount, teaching that the blessings of
God are bestowed, not simply upon a man with the proper blood line, but rather
upon the man whose heart follows after the True and Living God. He tells them
to love their neighbors, but also to love their enemies. Not only to bear
persecution for righteousness, but also to allow oneself to be defrauded in the
name of righteousness. He tells them that a good disciple is known, not by
lip-service, but by action in the service of his master. All of this was a
direct confrontation against all that the Jewish system had become. There would
be no Jew, regardless of how devout, that would not cringe at Jesus’ words
concerning the traditions that they had spent their lives following. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Luke
7:1-11 Jesus goes one step further. Yes, He had spoken against the Jewish
religious establishment. Yes, He had defied the false traditions of the elders
as they heaped unnecessary weights upon the keeping of the law. Yet in the
first several verses of Luke 7, Jesus ministers to the needs of a Roman
Centurion, one who was very kind to the Jews, and yet nonetheless a Gentile.
Among a nation of men and women who had grown to despise and separate from all
things that were not Jewish, the man claiming to be Messiah, the King of
Israel, was ministering to their enemies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Such was
the string of events that preceded the day when John sent his disciples to ask
Jesus concerning His Messianic identity. It was not that John, like the other
disciples of Jesus, did not believe that Jesus was who He claimed to be. Yet
Jesus’ action defied what the Jews had taught and understood for hundreds of
years, and were so new and different that might cause any Jew conflict and
confusion at His actions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Introspection
would cause us to ask the same questions of ourselves. Do we, as God’s people,
read the Bible with such stubborn pre-conceived notions of its intent and
meaning that we fail to see what is really there? Are we so caught up in our
traditions that, when confronted with Biblical truth that contradicts our
understanding, we reject the True in deference to the familiar and comfortable?
What “blind spots” do we have, and when we stand before God one day, what
elements of our religious devotion will be seen in His eyes as misguided
idolatry rather than humble devotion?</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4843803579884881093#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Herodias”. Digital Edition through
theWord.net</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09902352207776325152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843803579884881093.post-10266522260628195542018-01-26T06:01:00.000-08:002018-01-26T06:01:46.471-08:00Book Review - Heaven is for Real<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A review of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heaven
Is for Real</i> by Todd Burpo. Nashville, Tennessee: W Publishing Group, 2010.
Print.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Heaven is for real is a compelling narrative of
Colin Burpo, a young man who supposedly went to heaven while he was on the operating
table being treated for a burst appendix. The story retells this difficult
event in the family's life, then traces the next several years of their lives
as, slowly, Colin reveals bits and pieces of his heavenly experience. The
narrative itself is compelling, enjoyable, and engaging.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This is certainly not the first account in recent
years of someone going to heaven and coming back. In fact, one could safely say
that there has been an unusually high number of reports lately of this same supernatural
phenomenon. Published in 2004, Don Piper wrote a book entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">90 Minutes in Heaven</i> and later <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heaven is Real: Lessons on Earthly Joy, </i>about
his “90 minute experience in heaven” following a terrible car crash. Don Piper
describes pearly gates, golden streets, and “incredible music in quality and
quantity”. Published in 2012, Eben Alexander wrote the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey
into the Afterlife</i>, recounting his transformation from a religion-denying
neurosurgeon to a believer through an other-worldly encounter with an angelic
being during a coma. Also published in 2012, Dr. Mary C. Neal wrote <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To Heaven and Back: A Doctor’s Extraordinary
Account of Her Death, Heaven, Angels, and Life Again.</i> Her account describes
a heavenly visit following a kayaking accident where she was pinned under water
for at least 15 minutes. These are three of several accounts over the past
decade where people were absolutely sure they had gone into the afterlife and
sent back to tell their stories to the world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What is going on here? It is not beyond God’s
power to do such a thing, nor is it beyond God’s grace to use men and women as
voices to call the world unto Him. But is this how God operates in the New
Testament Church? Do the accounts, lives, and actions of these individuals bear
the fruit of ones who are genuine, Spirit-filled believers in the Lord Jesus
Christ? Or is it all smoke and mirrors? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We cannot fully know the extent of the truth
surrounding these claims, and that is part of the problem. Many of these
accounts are just as amazing as Colin Burpo’s story. These men and women seem
sure of their experiences, and not only that, but some return with doctrinally
accurate declarations of God’s love and man’s need for saving faith in Jesus
Christ by believing upon His name to be saved. Jesus Christ gives us clear
teaching in the Scriptures regarding the nature of truth and error. 1 John
4:1-3 tells us, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of
antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is
it in the world.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We, as Bible-believing Christians, must judge
every spiritual claim against the doctrinal realities of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. If the supernatural experience of any man or woman does not line up
accurately with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the revelation of the Word of
God, then it must be rejected immediately. If the testimony of the individual
is overshadowed by their declaration of the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and
furthermore their account does not conflict with clear teachings of Scripture,
then perhaps we as Bible-believing Christians should not be principally opposed
to their message, even if we retain some skepticism as pertaining to its veracity.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In Mark 9:38-40 the disciples came to a similar
impasse. Jesus had not committed Himself unto men to testify of the gospel,
because “he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he
knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25). Yet in Mark 9 Jesus’ disciples approach Him
about a man, one not following Jesus, who was casting out devils in Jesus’
name. The disciples told Christ that they forbade him to do so on the grounds
that he was not in the company of Christ. From a doctrinal standpoint, this
makes sense. Jesus could not verify the clarity of this man’s message, and
perhaps would not want this man representing Him. This makes Jesus’ response
all the more startling when He said in Mark 9:39-40, “Forbid him not: for there
is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of
me. For he that is not against us is on our part.” Thus Jesus called for the
disciples to allow the man to testify, because through his work people were
receiving a proper understanding of Jesus’ power and authority. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Such a tale stands in direct contrast to that of
the “vagabond Jews” in Acts 19, who had no love for Christ or the gospel, and
yet sought to invoke the authority of both Jesus and Paul to exorcise demons
for their own purposes. Thus the Scriptures tell us in verse 13 that these men
“took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord
Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” The demons response
is almost comical in verse 15-16, “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus
I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit
was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they
fled out of that house naked and wounded.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In conclusion, my position on these supernatural
occurrence is one of skepticism, but also one in which I would desire to align
with the example we see in Scriptures regarding those who preach and teach
concerning God. I believe it very important that we do not get caught up in the
“emotionalism” of any one experience or encounter, nor should we focus upon the
experience at the expense of the Truth that there is a God, that we are morally
accountable to this God, and that only those who come to God through the
finished work of His Son Jesus Christ by “repentance from dead works, and faith
toward God” (Hebrews 6:1) may receive remission of sins and enter into the
eternal life that these men and women claim to have witnessed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I would call upon us to do that which Gamaliel,
the Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, called upon the council to do
concerning the Apostles of Jesus Christ in Acts 5:38-39, when the wise man
stated, “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone:
for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it
be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against
God.” If these men and women speak out for the gospel of Jesus Christ and
maintain sound doctrine, they are doing good, not ill. And as we speak
concerning them, it is our opportunity to keep the focus upon the objective
realities of the gospel, and not the subjectivities of supernatural
experiences. If we all can maintain these determinations of patient evangelism
and care, we may not ever need to bicker among ourselves as to whether or not
these experiences actually happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">With this foundation laid, there are 3 particular
concerns that I have with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heaven Is for
Real</i> specifically that I would like to address:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The first problem is the biggest problem: what I
would call the “gospel problem”. There is not one instance in the book where
the gospel is clearly articulated. Furthermore, when Colin is asked in his
movie interview “what [he wanted] people to take away from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heaven Is for Real</i> the movie”, His response was, “I hope they find
healing and that they can get wisdom from it, so that they know no matter what
happens, God is always there helping you. And no matter what Satan may put you
through, God can overcome it.” True words, as long as his intended audience for
the movie is the Church of God, and not unbelievers. Unbelievers may walk away
(at least from the book) more convinced of heaven, but they won’t necessarily
be closer to understanding why they should care, or how they can get there.
This is a major problem, and strongly speaks against the spiritual value and
authenticity of this book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The second problem is the “experience” problem. I
referenced this in the general comments above, but there is something very
unsettling in our age about “Christian experiences”. We are well aware that
“Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14),
and so we cannot inherently trust those things of which our physical senses
would seek to convince us. We furthermore know from Hebrews 11:1 that “Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Thus we know by its very definition that these people are not claiming God on
the ground of faith, but on the grounds of “experience. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells
us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Hebrews 11:6 reminds
us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him.” Thus we must understand that any physical or material “experience”
that we might have as believers is only as good as the role it plays in leading
us into faith in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unseen</i>. Supernatural
experiences have no ability to stand alone in their spiritual efficacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am concerned with this book and movie that
the experience is attempting to stand alone, and that is a problem indeed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The final problem is that of association. It was
very troubling to me when I saw, in my “Special Movie Edition” of the book, a
picture of the Burpo family with Producer T.D. Jakes. T.D. Jakes is a man who
is ambiguous at best concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, and had close
associations with “Oneness Pentecostalism” or “Modalism”, which openly denies the
doctrine of the Trinity in favor of an old heresy taking another turn around
the block which teaches that God is a single person who manifests Himself in
three different ways (or modes), as opposed to God being three distinct persons
as the Bible teaches. Furthermore, Jakes has revealed himself to be a false
teacher on many occasions, preaching a “prosperity gospel” of health and wealth
through several blatant Scriptural misinterpretations. Finally, Jakes revealed
during the 2008 Presidential election of Barak Obama that he is a man willing
to forgo Biblical principles and spiritual discernment in favor of superficial social
issues. His open support for President Obama simply because he is a black man, in
spite of Obama’s support for facilitating the murder of children, is absolutely
disgusting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the Burpo family to
align with a man of such dubious spiritual fruit is to reveal a lack of
discernment at best, and deception at worst.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It is for these reasons that I cannot endorse<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Heaven Is for Real</i> in any of its forms.
The spiritual intent of the message is confused, the spiritual associations of
the message are dangerous, and the spiritual fruit of the message is unclear.
These are not evident manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s work, and we as
believers should seek “higher ground” in our declarations of the truth both in
the Church, and to a lost and dying world. </span></div>
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