…enemies of the cross… (Phil.3:18)

1. Is the cross a nice piece of jewelry hanging on a necklace?

2. Is the cross some personal trouble or discomfort you must bear?

3. Or, is the cross a reference to the work of God in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

Check out this amazing essay by A. E. Knoch:

CLICK HERE: https://www.concordant.org/expositions/the-evangel/the-word-of-the-cross/

ALSO SEE THIS: https://www.concordant.org/expositions/the-evangel/the-cross-of-christ/

FROM PHILLIPIANS 3…

17 Become imitators together of me, brethren, and be noting those who are walking thus, according as you have us for a model,
18 for many are walking, of whom I often told you, yet now am lamenting also as I tell it, who are enemies of the cross of Christ,
19 whose consummation is destruction, whose god is their bowels, and whose glory is in their shame, who to the terrestrial are disposed.
20 For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a Saviour also, the Lord, Jesus Christ,
21 Who will transfigure the body of our humiliation, to conform it to the body of His glory, in accord with the operation which enables Him even to subject all to Himself.

 

Galatians 6:14. In this passage Paul writes, “Now may it not be mine to be boasting, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

 

WHO ARE THE ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST?

1. They are not imitators of Paul. They don’t use him as a “model”.
2. Their walk leads to destruction.
3. Their god is their bowels.
4. Their glory is actually their shame.
5. They are totally into things terrestrial.
6. They are not awaiting a Saviour out of the heavens, who will transfigure our body of humiliation. Etc.

 

Who are the enemies of the cross?

Since we know “the cross” refers to what was accomplished on that day… the “enemies of the cross” must be those who rely on their own accomplishments…. Those who rely on themselves… those who rely on their own “good works”… those who don’t see that “all is of God” (Romans 11:36). They take pride in nothing at all.

 

Notice that Paul did not say “enemies of the kingdom”, “enemies of the temple”, “enemies of the church”, enemies of good works”, “enemies of the ‘revolution’”, etc. No.

 

Paul referred to enemies of something God was doing in Christ on that day, the day Christ died for our sins.

 

The word “enemies” is not tossed around lightly. In the Old Testament, you might find references to “enemies of Israel.” But it’s not a word that shows up too much in the bible. So, when “enemies” is used, we should open our eyes, and take note.

 

One of the most striking mentions of “enemies” is found in I Corinthians 15:20-28.

There you’ll find four “enemies” listed which God promises to abolish and defeat.

The first three are “rulership”, “authority” and “power” … And God, through Paul’s prophecy, promises to ABOLISH ALL RULE, ALL AUTHORITY, AND ALL POWER.

 

Would it be too much to suggest that rulership, authority, and power are not just “enemies of God” but also “enemies of the cross”.

 

We suggest that the very presence of rule, authority and power, proves that the cross of Christ has not fully accomplished its work, YET. But that day is coming.

 

You see, Christ must reign, UNTIL He puts all his enemies under his feet. And these three, (rule, authority, and power) are clearly ENEMIES. As long as rule, authority and power are needed, enmity between the creature and the Creator exists, somehow.

 

And consider “the last enemy”: DEATH.

 

Death is the 4^th enemy listed in I COR. 15:24-25… and it’s to be abolished too.

 

Dare we say that death itself is an enemy of the cross? Indeed, it is the reason for the cross. Death appeared to win, when Christ, the Savior, died.

 

Death seemed to win, on the cross. But then, 3 days later, the purpose of the cross was revealed. It was to defeat death (the wages of sin).

 

The final victory of the cross of Christ, will be the ABOLITION OF DEATH altogether.

 

“For even as in Adam, all die, so in Christ, shall all be vivified.” (I COR 15:20-28)

 

The cross, is the sum of all human works and deeds. Everything we build, accomplish and do, ends in disaster. Death seems to reign supreme in humanity and all the towers of Babel we build.

 

But the resurrection is God’s bold sentence on death’s shallow victory.

 

Yes, Christ met His demise on the cross. But death lost its grip when God raised Him from the Dead.

 

The “enemies of the cross” don’t see that the accomplishments of Christ’s sacrifice will include them. Nothing they do or say can undo the resurrection. Christ died to save, even his enemies. Christ died to save even “the enemies of the cross.”

 

For now, they can boast in their own accomplishments. But death awaits even the mighty of this world.

 

All the Caesars of Rome are now dead. All the empires of history have past. The tower of Babel is no more.

 

Even the current empire of America’s dominance will pass also.

 

Death reigns supreme, for now.

 

But the work of God, in the cross of Christ, will reconcile all, (Col 1:20).

The majority of humanity, especially the religious, are not happy with this message. They are “enemies of the cross”.

 

But we don’t rely on them. Instead, “we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all….” And just before Paul wrote these words, he said “for this we labor and suffer reproach, because we rely on the Living God….”

 

The enemies of the cross, seem to think that something is owed to them. Their own personal accomplishments deserve to be rewarded. And they want that reward. In fact, they demand it.

 

Who are the “friends of the cross”???

 

The friends of the cross, look not to their own achievements, but instead, realize that all blessings actually come from what Christ achieved on that day. They are humbled.

 

They know, they can add nothing to their salvation. Even the “good works” they do, is “God working in you to do…” (Phil 2:13).

 

The great religions of the world, including Christendom, are actually “enemies of the cross”.

 

Some consider the “cross” as a symbol… like a nice piece of silver or gold jewelry to be hung on a necklace.

Some consider the “cross” to be some personal burden, that you must bear in order to purify your soul.

But, the “cross” is neither a symbol of club membership, nor an idea that you must suffer personally to gain some spiritual reward. No, the cross is what changes everything. The cross is the foundation of our message. We are saved by what Christ did on the cross. The proof that it changes everything, is the resurrection.

 

Death’s final defeat is “written in the cards” as they say. Christ’s resurrection guarantees its end.

 

His resurrection is like a down payment, an option on humanity, “for even as in Adam…”

…so in Christ.”

 

He is the Firstfruit of them who repose”.

 

The enemies of the cross, can see that they were involved in the messy deal of His death.

The crown of thorns. The beating that ripped the skin from his back. The nails pounded into his hands and feet. The spear that pierced his side. All of it.

THAT is their true accomplishments. Blood and suffering. Not life and vitality.

 

The resurrection happened IN SPITE of man’s sin and offence. It is God’s great achievement. And we cannot add one whit to it.

 

If we can see this, we stand in awe.

 

The cross is our message. The cross is our hope. The cross is God’s pronouncement on our accomplishments.

 

“For even as in Adam, all die… so in Christ shall all be made alive”.

Watch this old video two, maybe three times, to make sure you get it.

Mr. Knoch and some brothers helped put the Concordant Literal New Testament together.

As I know the story, the idea came to him when he discovered that the Greek word AION in the bible was translated into English using 5 or more English terms (Age, Eternal, Forever, Never, World, etc.)… so, he said to himself, “why?”… “Why so many English words to represent ONE Greek word in the Bible?

So, he set about to make a more consistent translation of the bible where each Greek or Hebrew word in the bible had only ONE English word to represent it (as near as possible). Sometimes English idiom or the idiom of the ancient languages presented a problem, but for the most part, a “CONCORDANT” translation was easy enough to produce. And you should get your hands on this translation.

I say “easy enough”… but you should see the work they put into making a Concordant version. They started working on it about 1910, and this was long before computers were around. So, they compiled a 3×5 index card catalog that looked something like this:

Each card had ONE Greek word on it, and every place where that Greek word showed up in the New Testament. (They started first with the New Testament, then eventually did the same kind of research for the Old Testament.)

Once they had jotted down EVERY verse where that one word showed up, then they asked what English word would best fit every occurrence.

The big idea was not to impose your own ideas on God’s word. What did God SAY… be consistent… it might be important.

They also discovered verb tenses were important. We have a “present tense” verb form in English, but in the language of the bible, they have a “timeless tense” as well.

You’ll see it…for example: In John 3:16, the Concordant Literal New Testament says “For thus God loves the world…” more of a “timeless” tense that the KJV’s “God so loved the world”.

(JOHN 3:16 CLNT) For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but may be having life eonian.

Having spent many years translating the bible, Mr. Knoch and his co-workers came to a new appreciation and a new understanding of God’s plan and purpose.

That’s why this video, (above) is so strange and wonderful… it’s a prospective you won’t hear in most churches or from most preachers.

It’s good news actually.

Leave a comment if you like.

Linwood

4,000 Sermons And Not One on I TIM 4:10.

I was lead to the Lord by my Grandfather, who, in 1967 brought me to the Glenrock Pentacostal Holiness Church in Norfolk, Virginia.

I was only 14 years old at the time.

From then on I went to church at least 3 times a week. Twice on Sunday, and for the Wednesday night prayer meetin’. Then, there were weeklong “revival” meetings. Conferences. Church camps. Jesus Festivals. Home bible studies. And the like.

At one time, I figured I had heard some 4,000 sermons.

And never once did I hear even a hint of the Glorious Truth that “God is the Savior of All Mankind, especially of believers”… as reveal in I TIM 4:10. Even though, verse 11 clearly says “THESE THINGS BE CHARGING AND TEACHING.”

Not only did I go to Pentacostal churches, I went to Baptist churches. Assembly of God churches, Charismatic churches, Foursquare, Methodists, I even went to John Jimenez’ Rock Church in Virginia Beach for a while.

Plus, I was somewhat involved in groups that focused on Watchman Nee’s, Witness Lee’s and Gene Edward’s teachings.

Now, to be honest with you, they all did not spend a lot of time warning “the sinner” about the dangers of “eternal hell”. They did some… but not a lot.

But they all clearly emphasized “works” and clean living.

But nothing about what Christ accomplished on the cross.

It was mostly about WHAT YOU MUST DO TO BE SAVED. And what you must do to have an honored place in “the kingdom”.

YOU MUST… acknowledge you’re a sinner.

YOU MUST… repent.

YOU MUST… live a clean life.

YOU MUST… not “backslide”.

YOU MUST… “bear your cross”.

And so forth.

There was nothing about WHAT GOD MUST DO to save his creation.

Nothing about WHAT GOD DID IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST.

Nothing about how God will fulfill his eonian purpose. (Eph 3:11).

“These things command and teach”… says verse 11.

What things?

That

“we rely…

… on the living God…

… who is…

…the Savior of all…

…especially believers……

and… apparently if you “rely on the living God who is… is… is… the savior of all… you will “suffer reproach”

1 Timothy 4:10 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ For to this end ^[a]we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

I can attest to that, to some degree… in that… when I came to discover the bible’s teaching regarding God, the savior of all… the brethren from all those churches flat out… “kicked me out”.

Not only did they NOT teach I TIM 4:10… they were not going to let me teach it either. Why?

Perhaps there’s too much money to be made by stringing folks along on a “works” message that involves “endless punishment” if you don’t get with the program.

So, if you’ve made it this far into my message, let me assure you… Good works and clean living are ideal, but salvation is really based on what Christ accomplished on the cross, not on your contribution… as if His work is lacking. In fact, your “good works” are His doing, not your own. (See Eph 2:10) “You are His workmanship.”

After all, He did say (on the cross) “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

Linwood Austin

 

 

Quick and Easy Solutions

Well, here’s an article for you!

Is it possible to receive a free gift, that was not received quickly, easily, and with a guarantee? How often do we keep on hearing the BAD NEWS troika of…

1…”There are no quick solutions”

2… “There are no easy answers“

3… “There are no guarantees in life“…or…

waiting/willpower/wavering.

Every single time I hear any of those expressions I feel DRAINED! Why? Because they come from people who stand to gain from there being no such a thing as “a quick, easy, and guaranteed solution to life”. Of course there isn’t, when the whole world believes that BAD NEWS. I am speaking of preachers, psychologists, counselors, and the self-help industry. If the GOOD NEWS of a quick, easy, and guaranteed solution to life did exist, these charlatans would all be out of a job! They make their money by preaching a “quicker, easier, and more likely to work solution to mental, emotional, and spiritual problems than their competition (other religions, other counselors, other self-help authors and seminarians). That’s how the scam alerts!

Now this is not to say that all challenges are bad. This is to say that all challenges with FRUSTRATION are bad. There will be challenges in the kingdom of heaven. But there will be no frustration in the kingdom of heaven. What chess grandmaster would enjoy playing chess if he knew that he could quickly, easily, and with certainty, win every single game.

Imagine if you will…

1…Fruitfulness without frustration

2…Passing the test without getting testy

3…Being challenged without being choked.

Yes, it is hard to imagine these things. But God calls the things that are not as though they are.

Marshall Curtis

Christ, the firstborn, frees all from slavery.

A friend of mine posted this meme. Below I will give my thoughts on it:

That is not the proper way to think about it. “Firstborn” does not necessarily mean “child.” The firstborn is usually the adult in the family and next in line to the family’s father. When the father dies the firstborn takes over. The Firstborn was usually vested with the strength of the father.
When the firstborn of Egypt were killed the majority were adults.
​
But the most beautiful thing is that God ransomed Israel by the death of the firstborn of Egypt. Their death freed Israel. None of the curses hurled down on Egypt freed Israel. Now fast forward to the New Testament. Christ is the Firstborn of all creation (Col.1:15 and then notice that the blood of His cross is what reconciles the entire universe to God. Notice also in 1 Timothy 2:4-6 that God will have all mankind to be saved for Christ gave Himself a ransom for all. This He did because as Firstborn, it is His responsibility to free all related to Him. Since He is Firstborn of ALL creation, all creation is connected to Him.
​
Romans 8:20,21 shows that the entire creation was subjected to slavery. Just as Israel was subjected to slavery in Egypt. And just as Israel was ransomed by Egypt’s firstborn, now all creation is ransomed by creation’s Firstborn and all creation will be freed into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Tony Nungesser

The Grand and Concluding Scene of Divine Revelation The End of the Mediatorial Kingdom GOD ALL IN ALL 1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Saviour of All Fellowship

P.O. Box 314, Almont, MI 48003, U.S.A. Telephone (810) 798-3563 http://www.saviourofall.org April, 2020

Dear friends in the faith,

Around 20 or more years ago, I first read this and really enjoyed it. I originally read it on God’s Truth for Today web site which no longer exists. But I used a Way Back machine to find it. It is by the Rev. Elhanan Winchester. He was born in 1751 and died of tuberculosis in April 18, 1797. The following was taken from a course of “Lectures on Prophecies,” Lecture XLII

The Grand and Concluding Scene of Divine Revelation The End of the Mediatorial Kingdom
GOD ALL IN ALL
1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

I am now come in the course of these Lectures to the grand closing scene: our Saviour’s resignation of the kingdom delegated to Him by the Father after he shall have accomplished all the glorious designs for which it was committed into his faithful hands.

This is a very deep, important and interesting subject, and I feel myself incapable of doing justice to it, but as the Lord has helped me hitherto, even beyond my expectation, I trust he will not forsake me at the close. The grandeur of the subject is such as inspires my soul with a reverential awe that language would fail to describe. And having employed considerable time and attention in the contemplation thereof, I feel its consequence and weight in a manner that I cannot express. But having the unerring word of God for my directory here, as I have had all along, I shall venture to tread this devious path, and endeavor to paint as well as I am able, the glorious scene with which the book of divine Revelation closes; when the blessed and glorious Redeemer, having subdued all things to himself, shall resign the kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all.

This is the only passage of Scripture that contains any intimation of Christ’s delivering up the kingdom to the Father, but as it was written by divine inspiration, this grand event and closing scene is by no means to be disputed, or explained away.

In discoursing upon this glorious subject, I shall follow the order of the words, and make such remarks as may present themselves to my mind as I pass along.

Then cometh the end, &c. These words teach us the important truth that the

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Mediatorial dispensation will as certainly come to a period or close, as any other dispensation ever did; though it is by no means of so short a duration as many take it to be. Some make it to end at the second coming of Christ; and others immediately after the general Judgement: but I have in the course of these lectures given my thoughts so fully upon these opinions and the reasons why I cannot concur with them, is that I trust I have no need to repeat them in this place. We may here once more observe, that the word rendered everlasting, does not signify endless, even when applied to the kingdom of Christ; (as it frequently is in the scriptures) since here it is positively asserted, that there shall be an end to the glorious kingdom of the son of God, so often called an everlasting kingdom in our translation: but which I humbly apprehend, might better be called a kingdom of ages.

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; but not until he hath put down all rule and authority, and all power. For the kingdom was given to him for this very purpose, and this he will certainly accomplish, to the praise and glory of his name. His engagements he must fulfil, according to the nature and tenor of the counsel of peace, which was between the Father and his well beloved Son; for (as the prophet says) “The counsel of peace shall be between them both” Zec. 6:13. And according to the inspired language of Isaiah, there seems to have been the nature of a covenant between the Father and the Son, which appears in his being given for a covenant to the people, Chap. 43:6; 49:8, and the words in Chap. 53:10,11, are fairly capable of being rendered in such a manner as to make a mutual agreement evident. If he shall “make his soul a sin offering, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied,” &c. And the words of Christ himself in St. John 6:37,40, seem very plainly to imply that he came down from heaven upon an errand of great importance, and which he had engaged to execute, nor can he leave any part of his work unfinished. God the Father having given him all things without exception, according to those texts more than once already quoted in this work (St. John, 3:35; 13:3; 17:2, compared with St. Matthew 11:27, and St. Luke 10:22) expects that the Son of his love will put a final and total end to all rebellion, and bring all the rightful subjects of the Almighty Sovereign back again to their allegiance. And Jesus evidently considers himself under obligations to perform this great work before he delivers up the kingdom to the Father. And I cannot but think that he is fully qualified for the performance of all that he hath engaged to do, and that he will certainly accomplish it.

For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. It is of absolute necessity that his reign shall endure until there is no more opposition, no more rebellion, or disobedience, to be found in the wide creation. “Jehovah said unto my Adonai, or Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot- stool” Psal.110:1. This the modern Jews apply to David, but it is certain that in our Saviour’s time they understood it to relate to Christ, or the Messiah, the Son of David, although they were puzzled at our Lord’s question, and were not able to

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resolve him how the Messiah could be born the son, and Lord of David at the same time. See St. Matt.22:42,43,44,45; St. Mark 12:35,36,37; St. Luke, 20:41,42,43,44. And St. Peter applies those words of David directly to Jesus, saying, “For David is not ascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” Acts, 2:34,35,36. When our blessed Saviour was exalted at the Father’s right hand according to the Scriptures, then this promise began to be fulfilled. He was then set “Far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this world (or age) but also in that which is to come.” And the Father “put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” Ephes.1:21,22. Our Lord “is gone to heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities, and powers being made subject unto him” 1 Peter 3:22.

Thus all things were put under him in the divine purpose, without exception, but all things are not yet put under him in the sense of these words in 1 Cor. 15:25, because it is said that he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet: which plainly shews that it is not yet the case. And the words of the apostle in this epistle to the Hebrews, Heb.2:8, express the same idea, “Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him; but now we see not yet all things put under him.”—Here it is evident, that in the purpose of God all things are put under Christ, and subjected to him in so universal a manner, as there is not the least exception; yet it is equally evident that all things are not yet actually put under him: the divine counsels, respecting this important matter, are not fulfilled before the eyes of creatures: but they must be. All the enemies of our Lord must come to be subject to him in a sense far different from what ever hath yet taken place; and Christ must reign until this grand purpose shall be fully accomplished. God says, “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear” Isai.45:23. And the apostle St. Paul, after speaking of our dear Saviour’s amazing humiliation even to the death of the cross, says, “Wherefore God also, hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Phil.2.9,10,11. When this comes to be actually fulfilled, then it may be truly said, that all our Lord’s enemies are in the strictest sense put under his feet, but not before; and this is spoken of by the Apostle as something future, and far remote.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death; or more properly, Death, the last enemy shall be destroyed.

There are some who would wish to confine this destruction to the death of the body, or that which is called the natural death; but to me it appears, that every thing that bears the name of death in the sacred Scriptures, must be included, and is really intended here. Death and misery of every kind shall be abolished, done

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away, swallowed up in victory, &c. and nothing but life and happiness shall remain. I cannot help considering this as the genuine sense and meaning of the following glorious promises. “He will swallow up death in victory: and Adonai Jehovah will wipe away tears from off all faces” &c. Isaiah 25:8.

I will ransom them (even such who perish in their iniquity and sin, as is evident from the context) from the power of the grave: (or hell) I will redeem them from death: “O death I will be thy plagues: 0 grave (or hell) I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes” Hosea 13:14. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” Rev.21:4.

Then shall the song of triumph be sung, “Death is swallowed up in victory!” And the great and mighty challenge shall be proclaimed through all the empire of Jehovah, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave (or hell) where is thy victory?” 1 Cor.15:54,55. But surely while sin, which is the sting of death, is found in existence, and while pain, sorrow, crying, &c. continue in the universe, it can hardly be said, that death is swallowed up in victory; and while the second death lasts, which is certainly the most terrible kind of death, how can it be said, O death where is thy sting? and, O grave (or hell) where is thy victory? But to me, scarce any thing appears more plain, than the certain annihilation or total destruction of all that ever bore the name of death. Then it may be truly said, “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so hath grace reigned through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” Rom.5:20,21.

But prior to the total destruction of death, all other enemies, that is, all rebellious creatures, shall be humbled, and shall willingly submit to Jesus, and be his enemies no longer: for certainly at the time when the last enemy shall be destroyed, no enemies can remain in the universe.

For he hath put all things under his feet: but when he saith, All things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him.

This reasoning of the apostle seems almost self evident: for nothing can be more manifest, than that he (the eternal Father) who put all things under Christ the Son, is himself excepted. Even as Pharaoh said to Joseph, when he made him governor or ruler over all the land of Egypt.

“Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had: and they cried before him, Bow the knee; and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt” Gen.41:39-44.

The whole of this transaction was a wonderful type, and a most beautiful illustration of the subject now upon.

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Pharaoh set up Joseph over the land of Egypt because there was none so discreet and wise as he was, that understood the matter so well, was so competent to every part of the business, and that would be so faithful and diligent in the discharge of the same.—Pharaoh in choosing Joseph, and placing him over all the land, shewed his own wisdom and discernment to be great. Even so the wisdom and goodness of God shone conspicuously in placing his dear Son in so glorious and important a situation. For where is there one in heaven or earth worthy to be named in comparison with Jesus? so prudent, so wise, so faithful, so just, so competent to every part of his work? The Father that therefore entrusted him with all the concerns of the wide extended universe, as Pharaoh did Joseph with the land of Egypt, and all things therein.

Pharaoh gave Joseph full power, and unlimited and absolute authority over all his people, but excepted himself, in the same manner as the Apostle declares the Father to be excepted. It it manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him.

But this exception being expressly made (though it was evidently implied in the nature of the thing) plainly shews that none else can possibly be excepted, whether things in heaven, things on earth, or things under the earth. Christ is truly and really over all, (the Father only excepted) God blessed forever Rom.9:5.

All are put under him in the most absolute and universal manner, and all are commanded to bow the knee to him, as the Egyptians were commanded to bow the knee before Joseph. To Jesus Christ the Saviour, every knee shall surely bow, and every tongue shall certainly confess him Lord.

“When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph, what he saith to you do” Gen.41:55. So the Father, having given all things into the hands of Christ, and committed all authority and judgement to him, directeth all mankind to look to him for salvation; his language is, “Go to Jesus; whatsoever he saith to you do it. Believe on Jesus, see that ye refuse not him that speaketh; if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” God requires all men to hearken to Jesus, and to do his will without murmuring or disputing, upon pain of his severe displeasure. The Son of God is appointed to be the universal Lord and ruler over all, and all shall submit to him at last.

Joseph had the absolute disposal of all the Egyptians and all their affairs, both by the appointment of Pharaoh, and also by their own consent, as appears by the story at large; so the blessed Jesus has absolute authority over all rational creatures, by the Father’s appointment and good pleasure, and shall finally have dominion over all by their voluntary submission and free consent. So that the administration of Joseph over the land of Egypt, was one of the most lively pictures of the universal government, authority and dominion of Christ that can be found, and applies beautifully in almost every instance. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. The time, the glorious time will come when all things shall be willingly subject to the Son of God, and shall submit to his control: as has been, I think, plainly proved in the foregoing course of Lectures. When this event takes place, and there is not an enemy remaining in all the universe, then

Newsletter April 2020, page 6

shall the Son of God deliver up the kingdom to the Father, in the most grand, glorious, and honorable manner, and be himself also subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Some are apt to say, that if Christ should resign the kingdom to the Father, and become subject to him that put all things under him, that his character would be thereby lowered and brought down. But I must declare that I think quite the reverse: even that his character will be exalted in the highest and most glorious manner. For let me ask any one, when did Joseph appear to most advantage? whether when he had the government of Egypt committed to his hands, and went forth invested with absolute authority over the whole land? or when after sustaining that high office for twice seven years, and doing all things well, to the full content of both the king and the people, he came loaded with honor and glory, and resigned the government of Egypt again to Pharaoh, who had given it to him?

When he went forth he was glorious, but when he had finished his work how much more glorious and honorable did he appear?—or to mention a recent instance, fresh in the memory of man, when did General Washington appear most grand and exalted? when the command of the American army was given to him by the free choice of the people? or when after eight years enduring the fatigues of war, and taking part with his soldiers in all their dangers and sufferings, and beholding his labors and designs crowned with success he came amidst the acclamations of the people, and resigned his great and weighty commission to that august body from whom he received it? Was he less loved, honored and esteemed by all the people when he laid down than when he received the important trust? Nay, was he not much more so? how much superior did he appear in that awful day than he had ever done before in any period of his life! But what are either of these instances, though grand and glorious in themselves, compared with the astonishing event and overpowering subject, on which I am treating? Is it possible for imagination itself, in its utmost stretch, on its most lofty and towering wing, to conceive the glory and majesty of that great day, far remote, and distant from human view, and only known to Jehovah, when Christ the Son of God, having subdued, humbled, gathered together in one, or reheaded, reconciled and restored all things; and having completely finished the great work that he undertook, shall approach the sacred throne of the Father, attended by the countless millions of his redeemed and reconciled creatures, and resigning the kingdom into his hands who gave him power over all things, shall assume with awful dignity a new character, which is expressed by the Apostle, by being also himself subject to him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all?

I have ventured far already, but cannot feel myself willing to quit the subject, without once more endeavoring to represent its beauties in the form of a speech, which I trust will not be altogether unworthy of the Son of God to utter in the presence of his Father, and all the heavenly hosts, on that resplendent day.

Speech of the King of kings and Lord of lords, upon his resigning his Imperial Dignity to God the Father, having forever put down all rule, and authority, and power.

“My Father and my God, behold me, and the numerous children

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 which thou hast given me, as the reward of my labor, and the fruit of my pain. I have at length subdued all my enemies, and brought them freely and heartily to submit to my sceptre. Long and severe was the struggle, and many that loved me doubted whether I should ever so far prevail as to bring my greatest enemies to be my friends; but I have succeeded according to thy will, and thy glorious purposes. Thou didst create all to glorify thy name, to enjoy thy love, and to be happy in beholding the light of thy countenance, and when some of thy creatures fell from their first estate, thou didst appoint me to reclaim and restore them.

“Father, the long expected time is at last arrived, when thy Son having accomplished thy designs, approaches thy throne to resign his kingdom to thee. Thou didst give him power over all, and he hath given eternal life to all which thou gavest him. All that thou, O Father, gavest me, have at length willingly returned unto me, and behold I present them before thee this day, reconciled to thee, to me, and to each other. See, my Father, and behold throughout this mighty throng, there is not one knee but what bows in the most cordial manner, not a tongue but is ready to shout thy praise, nor an heart that doth not overflow with love to thee. All are thy willing and obedient subjects, reclaimed from all their evil ways, and forever confirmed in the purest habits of goodness. Look, my Father, through the wide extended universe, for thou beholdest all thy works in every situation with the utmost ease, see, there is not one rebellious creature to be found! Where sin once reigned and abounded, grace now reigns and abounds much more. All confusion and disorder now destroyed, the whole creation exhibits one great scene of peace, harmony, and divine order. All creatures are now wholly delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. All things in the universe are gathered together in one, are reconciled to thy government, and conformed to thine image and shall never more go astray. Sin, sorrow, crying, pain, and death shall never more be known in thy extensive empire. Thou shalt be all, and in all. Thy subjects no longer need a Mediator, they are all righteous and holy, and capable of beholding thy face with joy. I have seen the travail of my soul, and am forever satisfied. Thou hast fulfilled all thy promises to me in the completest manner. I have also performed my words to all my people, whom I have redeemed to thee, and from this day resign them to thee. Now they are all

 

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one, as thou Father and I are one; one spirit rules in them all, they have all the same designs, even to glorify thy name, and promote the happiness,of each other.

“Thou art now ALL IN ALL, and let all thy works praise thee.

“Thy glory shall endure for ever, thou shalt rejoice in all thy works. This is the scene which completes that joy which was set before me, for which I endured the cross, despising the shame.

“To this bright and glorious day I directed my view; I beheld all things put under me, I saw, beyond the darkness and obscurity of sin, pain, and death, the glorious day of light arise on all thy creatures.

“It is come, it is come, this is the day I looked for. The night is forever past, and eternal day is risen upon all creation, to set no more. Shout, O Heavens, it is done, it is done. Let all creatures adore thee, for this is the display of thy glorious, wise and gracious designs.

“Thou didst entrust me with the execution of thy wonderous plan, and this I have completed. Henceforth I resign the kingdom to thee; be thou thyself the Lord over all.

“In my whole process I have always been an example to all my flock, of which I am still, and shall remain, the Shepherd and head, I will therefore shew an example to all thy creatures that shall never be forgotten, which shall forever confirm thy authority over them; behold, I lay my sceptre and my crown at thy feet, and profess before all the hosts of heaven, and the numerous armies that acknowledge my sway, that great and mighty as I am, I am subject unto thee. I bow myself before thine awful throne, I submit to thee as all thy creatures have voluntarily submitted to me. Behold me as the head of all principality and power, and with me behold all thy creatures submit and bow to thy sovereign sway.”

Here the scene of divine revelation closes, GOD IS ALL IN ALL. I can go no further. The astonishing subject drinks up all my spirits! I am lost and swallowed up in the vast unbounded ocean of love!

O let my soul absorbed be, While God doth me surround! As a small drop in the vast sea Is lost and can’t be found!

In His Grace and Peace

Tony Nungesser

Christ, the Firstborn of Every Creature, The Redeemer of All.

THE FIRSTBORN

Christ is the Firstborn of every creature and all are created in Him so that all are related to Him (cf Col.1:15,16). If Christendom truly understood this passage, their idea that God is going to lose the vast majority of humanity could not find a place in their theology. Many sermons have been given where the minister concentrated on “all has its cohesion in Him” as if that is the most important part of Colossians 1:15-20. It is important, but Christ being Firstborn of every creature and the ramifications thereof are critical to the whole passage and its conclusion about the reconciliation of all to Him.

God has revealed to the apostle Paul, Christ’s connectedness to the creation and to every being within the creation:

“. . . out of [God] all is” (1 Cor.8:6), and so God is revealed as the original source of all. And then it is stated: “Jesus Christ, through Whom all is,” thus showing us Christ as the channel through Whom all came into being. So we go back, way back before the eons. Seeing through the mists of time we get a glimpse of God’s plan as it is revealed to us in its most primitive stage, as it is beginning to unfold. Before all the vast starry hosts of the heavens came into being through His Son, God had a plan which is called “the purpose of the eons, which He makes in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Eph.3:11). That plan, conceived in God’s heart, is being carried out through His Son.

Every Creature is Connected to Christ, the Firstborn

The august wisdom involved in the planning stages must have been immense. How did God conceive all the parts of the atom along with gravity and energy and everything in the universe being held together by forces we are just beginning to get an inkling of an understanding? How did God know to create humanity with its ability to replicate via sperm and egg? How did God know stars and planets would be needed in His grand design where no star or planet ever existed before? The vastness of God’s creation with all the varied creatures just on our earth is so immense as to boggle the mind. Yet what we see today may be miniscule compared with the creation of the first eon or even the eon prior to the flood of Noah’s day. Today we may be seeing only a remnant of the creation which survived the world-wide flood.

Before the creation came into being through God’s Son, the existence of humanity was planned along with its disobedience, its ransom from bondage to sin and death and the exaltation of Christ as well as God being All in all. None of these are the outworkings of a causeless, humanistic evolution. Likewise, it was planned that the entire creation would be subjected to vanity with the goal of being freed from its slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God (cf Rom.8:20,21).

Many are the voices arising from humanity accusing God of all manner of evils throughout the ages. God deems it wise to educate humanity in the knowledge of good and evil. The education began with the first Edenic pair and still continues. At the consummation of the eons God is justified in all He does. And as Paul prophetically announces to his readers in Philippians 2:11, these things are for the glory of God, the Father. He will be glorified by all. This glorification reveals that at that future point in time, all have been brought into a realization of the truth. All in the celestials, terrestrial and subterranean finally perceive and enter into the actual goal God had for the eons.

But what is the means by which this goal will be realized? Let us now look at this passage concerning the Son of God’s love which shines so brightly among all the constellations of passages in God’s Word:

15 Who is the Image of the invisible .God, Firstborn of every creature, 16 for in Him is .all created, .that in the heavens and .that on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones, or lordships, or sovereignties, or authorities, .all is °created through Him and iofor Him, 17 and He ́ is before all, and .all has its cohesion in Him.

18 And He ́ is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is .Sovereign, Firstborn ofrom among the dead, that in all He ́may become |first,19tfor in Him the entire complement delights to dwell, 20 and through Him to reconcile .all to Him (−making peace through the blood of His .cross), through Him, whether .those on the earth or .those in the heavens. (Col.1:15-20)

This passage is glistening brilliantly with the glory of God’s goal for the universe. Christ is the Image of the invisible God. He reveals to us God’s wisdom, knowledge, power and love both in creation and by His act of ransoming and reconciliation.

a wonderful connectedness

Christ is revealed as “the Firstborn of every creature, for [or, the reason why this is so, is that] in Him is all created.” So there is a wonderful connectedness Christ has with every creature within the creation which He brought into existence. As the Firstborn, He has the immense responsibility of taking care of every creature with whom He is connected. He must be every creature’s Kinsman Redeemer. We see this theme in the “Old Testament” concerning the firstborn of each family in Israel. The firstborn received the majority of everything the father had in order that, upon the decease of the father, the firstborn would take over the reins of the family.

The Kinsman Redeemer

Abraham had become very old and so Isaac was given everything Abraham had according to Genesis 24:36 and 25:5. This indicated Isaac was the true firstborn. “Abram was very heavy in cattle, in silver, and in gold” (Gen.13:2), and so all these went to Isaac in order to take care of the family. In the case of Jacob and Esau, Esau sold his birthright (“firstbornship”) and relinquished the right to receive the majority of blessings from his father. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word for “firstborn” and “birthright” belong to the same family, as seen by their spelling: bkur is used for “firstborn” and bkure for “birthright.” “Birthright” could be thought of as “firstbornship.” In Genesis 27, Jacob became the kinsman redeemer (Gen.27:28,29). Right afterward, in chapter 28, Yahweh revealed Himself to Jacob (Gen.28:13-15). Likewise, following Joseph’s reception of the distinctive tunic, Yahweh revealed to Joseph the future when he would reign over his family rather than Reuben his brother, who was the firstborn from Leah. Reuben had his father’s concubine Bilhah. Jacob was so upset concerning this that he made a distinctive tunic, not for Reuben but for Joseph, his firstborn from his beloved wife Rachel. Jacob was telling his family that Joseph was now the leader among his brothers even though Reuben was his firstborn (Gen.46:8; 49:3). Joseph would watch out for the kin related to him. This is exactly what he did when they came to him in Egypt. That is why such a one is called the kinsman redeemer. If the kin got into trouble, it was his responsibility to redeem them. This is a wonderful picture of the Grand Kinsman Redeemer, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in Whom we have deliverance (Rom.3:24).

Firstborn Responsibilities

It is of great interest that God sent all the plagues upon Egypt to free His people. It was only when God ransomed His people with the death of Egypt’s firstborn that they were freed from slavery. What a fitting picture of the death of God’s Firstborn, the Firstborn of every creature, to ransom and free the entire creation from the slavery of corruption. Our salvation from sin and death was not without great sacrifice. Christ gave Himself a correspondent ransom for all. But why did He give Himself a ransom for all? Because He is the Firstborn of all and that is what His responsibility is: to ransom all connected to Him! Thus we read:

4 [God] |wills that all =mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and =mankind, a hMan, Christ Jesus, 6 .Who is −giving Himself a correspondent Ransom fors all . . . . (1 Tim.2:4-6)

boaz, a type of Christ

Now, some may wish to claim that it was possible for Christ the Antitype, to fail as to His own responsibility here even as the original kinsman redeemer in type failed in the case of Ruth. So shameful it was for that kinsman redeemer not to redeem Ruth that the Scriptures refuse to even name him, calling him a “so and so” and “[of the] House of the Pulled-off Sandal.” As proof that he had refused to carry out the responsibilities, if Ruth had been present, it would have been her right to receive so and so’s sandal because this was so, and she was obliged to spit in his face. His duty was also to raise up offspring in the name of the deceased husband.

Boaz was next in line as a near kin to her, and it was he who redeemed her. It was through the kinsman redeemer, Boaz, that the Kinsman Redeemer of the universe came!

The story of Boaz and Ruth

From the book of Ruth we read concerning this:

4 + Boaz had gone up to the gate and |sat down there, + bdwhen the kinsman redeemer| was passing by of whom Boaz had spoken. + 7Boaz0 |said 7to him0, Do turn in, do

sit down here, So-and-so. And he |turned in and |sat down. 2 +Then 7Boaz0 |took ten men fof the elders of the city and |said, Sit here. +When they were |seated 3 + he |sastated to the kinsman redeemer|:

Naomi, .who has returned from the field of Moab, has put up for sale the portion of the field wthat > our kinsman Elimelech >had. 4 +As for me, I sathought I should reveal it to your ear, > saying−, Acquire it in front of .those seated| here, + in front of the elders of my people. Should you want to |redeem, so redeem it. +Yet should 7you~cs not |redeem, do tell > me so +that I may know, for there is no one except you to redeem, and I am after you.

+ He |sareplied, I ́ shall redeem it.

5 +Then Boaz |sacontinued, iOn the day you acquire− the field from the hand of Naomi, + you acquire ~mralso~ `Ruth, the Moabite wife of the dead|, in order to raise up the name of the dead| on his allotment.

6 + The kinsman redeemer| |sareplied, I am not |able to redeem it for myself, lest I |impair `my own allotment. As for you, redeem `my redemption right for yourself, for I am not |able to redeem it.

7 +Now this was 7the customc beforetime in Israel, onconcerning .redemption and on .exchange, to confirm every matter: A man would pull off his sandal and give it to his associate; + this was the attestation in Israel. 8 +So the kinsman redeemer| |said to Boaz, Acquire it for yourself. And he |pulled off his sandal 7and |gave it to him0. (Ruth 4:1-8)

And from Deuteronomy we have this:

5 In case brothers |dwell together, and one fof them dies, and he >has no son, the wife of the dead| one shall not bcome tod the outside, to an alien| man. Her brother-in-law, he shall come onto her, and he will take her to himself >as his wife and mperform the |levirate for her.

6 +Then it will come to be, the firstborn whom she |bears shall carry on the name of his father’s .dead| brother so +that his name may not be wiped out from Israel. 7 +But should the man not be |inclined to take `his sister-in-law, +then his sister-in-law will go up to the elders atd the gate and say: My brother-in-law refuses to raise up a name for his brother in Israel; he is not −willing to mperform the levirate− for me. 8 +Then the elders of his city will call to him and speak to him. +But if he persists and says: I am not inclined to take her, 9 +then his sister-in-law will come close to him >before the eyes of the elders, + pull his sandal off his foot, + spit in his face and answer and say: as Thus shall be done to the man who will not |build up `his brother’s house. 10 And his name will be called in Israel, House of the Pulled-off Sandal. (Deut.25:5-10)

Only One Could Ransom Us

Only Christ Could Ransom All

Had Christ reneged on His responsibility He would have just been a so and so. He would carry the disparaging title: House of the Pulled-off Sandal. Had He failed, who could have done what He was supposed to have done? No one! There just wasn’t anyone in the universe. There wasn’t another connected to every creature through the creative act of Christ! This is what the Colossian passage is showing us! It is so grand, so marvelous, and so spectacular. It is a marvel that so few have seen it. That so few have seen it is a testimony to the blindness of humanity.

The Father has given Christ all and has seated Him at His right hand. Rather than blessing the universe with physical goods, they are blessed with even greater, that is, spiritual. Immortality, incorruption, righteousness, reconciliation and love along with the fruit of the spirit, Christ is heavily weighted with these incredible treasures and He dispenses them to all in the universe with unstinted grace! It is through the blood of Christ’s cross that every creature in the universe will be reconciled to God. The blood of Christ was shed due to His love and connectedness to every creature. Being the Firstborn of all creation He has responsibilities no one else had or could have. Being the Firstborn of all creation He is the Kinsman Redeemer of every creature of the entire creation since the entire creation came through Him! How spectacular—how wonderful for the creation that God had such a faithful Son! God gave His Son the faith and ability to go ahead with the incredible task of going to the cross, enduring the shame and facing death. He did it all in faithfulness to God and to His high office as the Firstborn of all creation. He did it due to the vast love with which He loves us. How grand is our Redeemer: Rather than ending up being just a so and so, He is given a Name above all names!

If the current theology of Christendom is correct, if Christ has failed to ransom and redeem the vast majority which Christendom has assigned to eternal loss, then Christ’s name must be for ever relegated to that of a “so and so” and He must give every lost soul His sandal. Such is the scandalous nature and outcome of one who fails to redeem his kin. But a glorious picture emerges of One exalted to the highest place in the universe and given a Name above every name! Is it any wonder that, in the future, this grand display of adoration will take place:

8 . . . He humbles Himself, −becoming obedient unto death, yeven the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore, also, .God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the Name .that is above every name, 10 that in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, 11 and every tongue should acclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, iofor the glory of God, the Father. (Phil.2:8-11)

Anthony Nungesser.

(Anthony publishes The Saviour of All, Fellowship, newsletter)

Robert Did Not Like My “Lake Of Fire” Article…so, “he said, she said”

HE SAID… SHE SAID…

Brother Robert did not like what I said in these notes about “the lake of fire”… so let’s go over what he said, and how I reply:

ROBERT SAID:

“This guy like most are grossly mislead in his academia of what the Bible says about a lot of things. Problem is their are plenty screwballs that don’t read the Bible and take out of context a couple verses as it relates to the rest of the Bible and Distort.  Then they want to give you their opinions about it.  The worst part is not only do they go to hell, but they take multitudes of lazy minded people with them.”

MY REPLY:

“…not only do they go to hell, but they take multitudes of lazy minded people with them.”

This comment seems to give me and other “screwballs” with mere “opinions” a lot of power. So much power that we actually “take multitudes of lazy minded people” with us to hell.

He’s so cute.

Truth is… we’re talking about God’s power, not man’s power.

Does God have the power to save his creation? I say yes.

Is God the “Savior of all” as revealed in I TIM 4:10? I say yes.

Can God save the “lazy minded”? Oh, why not.

What exactly does God save us from?

Truthfully, God saves is from many things. Salvation is both an event and a process. In one sense, we were all saved 2,000 years ago when Christ, on the cross, said “It is finished.”

In another sense, we are saved from doubt when God gives us the gift of faith. But in the most wonderful sense, God saves us from sin and death, when “death, the last enemy is abolished” (I COR 15:20-28) at the conclusion of God’s eonian purpose (Ref: Eph 3:11)… and God becomes “All in all.”

ROBERT SAID:

“He doesn’t cross-reference various scripture throughout the whole Bible to support his ‘opinions.’”

MY REPLY:

My main “cross-reference” was I TIM 4:10… which is a fine passage to reference. In fact, verse 9, leading up to verse 10… gets you ready for this mind-blowing concept… and says… “this is a faithful saying and worthy of all welcome”..

In other words… get ready, what I’m about to say will knock your socks off…

And what is “the faithful saying”… what is “worthy of all welcome”????

It’s that “We rely on the living God, who is the savior of all mankind.”

And the very next verse says “These things command and teach”.

My question is… when is the last time, Robert commanded and taught that “God is the savior of all”???

ROBERT SAID:

So I guess this guy thinks Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, hells Angeles, MS-13, Jim Jones and all the rest of the horrors of evil wicked people are going to heaven right?

I suppose that includes all the Catholic Priests that rape children and Doctors who murder defenseless babies incapable of even throwing a punch right?

Let’s not forget Jim Jones, the hale bopp comet leader.

The masses of people that want to live their own life with their own version of what being a good enough person way short of Gods standard of going to heaven.

MY REPLY:

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (I TIM 1:15)

Now, Robert did a good job of listing some of our more popular, famous, or infamous sinners, but they are sinners, none-the-less. And Christ Jesus’ work on the cross will achieve what it set out to do.

Christ did not come into the world to fail to save sinners, not to merely “try” to save sinners… but to actually save sinners. In fact, if you take a peek at I Tim 1:15, Paul goes on to say he was the worst of sinners. Why doesn’t Robert put Paul in this list of notables?

I’m not suggesting that sin is not a problem, oh no. I’m suggesting that Christ saves. No “if” … “ands” or “buts” about it . “God is the savior of all.”

Sin is not an impossible obstacle to salvation, sin is a prerequisite to salvation.

Christ did not die for Christians, He died for sinners.

Salvation is not man’s response, but God’s work.

(Note: In both Matthew 11:19 and Luke 7:34, Jesus is called “a friend of sinners”. – Ain’t that a hellava thing?)

ROBERT SAID:

Let me be clear.  People that are serious about going to heaven pursue it and read the totality of what the Bible says.

MY REPY:

I’m not sure, but I think Robert is missing the point that GOD IS THE SAVIOR… He seems to suggest that you are your own savior by what you do or don’t do. Some folks can’t read at all. Some folks are blind from birth. They certainly can’t “read the totality of the bible”.

ROBERT SAID:

The Bible (sic) sent his Son to die for the whole world but that doesn’t mean everyone wants GOD or adhere to what he stated in the Bible for Eternal Life.

MY REPLY:

Of course not everyone “wants God”… God made sure of it. Romans 11:32 says “God locks up all together in stubbornness”.. that He may be merciful to all.

They did not lock themselves up in stubbornness… NO…God locked them up in stubbornness.

ROBERT SAID:

GOD forces himself on no one and also won’t be mocked.

MY REPLY:

“FORCE”???

Didn’t God “force” himself on Paul… knocked him off his camel… blinded him… “forced” him to see the light? (See Acts 26.)

God’s power is a “force”. And salvation is a “force”. And the abolition of death (I Cor 15:25) is a “force”.

If God abolishes death for the sinner, will the sinner choose death? – Such thinking is mockery.

ROBERT SAID:

I can point you to the truth of Heaven and Hell but the truth is no one is serious here.

MY REPLY:

Hey Robert, can you point me to the truth of the cross and what it actually accomplished? I’m serious here. Our message should be about what God accomplished in the cross of Christ. Your message seems to be about how mighty man is to achieve his own salvation by what he does or does not do.

ROBERT SAID:

No matter how good our life is or our opinions are …when we close our eyes in this world the only opinion that matters is GOD’S BEFORE WE DIE.  Too late after…

MY REPLY:

The words “TOO LATE” are never found in the bible.

And to use such language suggest that God is not able to finish what he started—He is the Father of all, the Creator of all, and the Savior of all.

Such language (“too late”) suggests God is the like the builder who did not count the cost and was not able to finish his building (REF: Luke 14:28).

ROBERT SAID:

The saddest part of this and why people aren’t serious is the GIFT from GOD IS FREE to us BUT cost His Son the worse Crucifixion unto death ever to be recorded.

An innocent GOD 100% and Man 100% died for people that reject everything he stands for UNLIKE us being imperfect and deserve to die.

MY REPLY:

People aren’t “serious” because God locks them up in stubbornness for now… see Romans 11:32. But it won’t always be that way… Paul tells us in Philippians 2: 8-10 that because of his work on the cross, every knee will bow, and He will be given a name above every name.

8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

FINALLY ROBERT SAID:

True Christians are called to witness to this against all the onslaughts from hell and miserable horrifying treatment around the globe.  The end reward is worth it.

Eternal Life for ever in paradise with GOD not according man.  Hmmm I guess if their is paradise then the opposite according to scripture must exist …ya think ?

MY REPLY:

“God is the savior” and yes God has a lot of work to do to save… but that’s why “We rely” on the living God, who is the savior of all, especially believers.” (I Tim 4:10)

What About The Lake Of Fire?

“We rely on the living God, who is the Savior of All”

– I Tim 4:10.

Somewhere towards the end of the book of Revelations, there is this event or this destination or this “thing” called “the lake of fire”.

We bring it up because there are a lot of Christians out there who come up with plenty of excuses NOT to believe that God is the Savior of all.

And so they say “What about the Lake of Fire”???

They bring this up as if to say, this “lake of fire” business proves that God is not the savior of all. But hold on…

What do we know about this “Lake of fire”?

First of all, the lake of fire is only mentioned in this one place… in the book of Revelation. It’s not discussed anywhere else.

Plus, it is NEVER called “hell”.

(Note: the word English word “hell” could be a reference to the Greek word “hades” – which literally means “unseen” – or, “hell” could be a reference to the Greek word “gehenna” – which was a place just outside Jerusalem, where they would burn the city trash, a garbage heap, full of compost worms. And they would burn some of the trash to keep the smell down. Plus “gehenna” was where they would toss the bodies of dead criminals-as a dishonorable burial.

Finally, “hell” could be a reference to a place called in Greek: “Tartarus” – mentioned only one time in the bible, so we don’t know much about the word (Tartarus) itself. But in the bible, the “lake of fire” is never called “hell”.

Some folks INFER that it’s “hell” but we don’t want to rely on INFERENCES, we want to see the bigger picture. And our main point is that “God is the savior of all”!!! So, let’s continue:)

Again: There are those who INFER that the lake of fire is “hell”… but the bible never calls it that.

In the plain language of the bible, the Lake of Fire IS the second death. – Not “hell”… but the 2^nd death.

What is death?

Death is the opposite of life. It’s not “another form of life”. It’s the OPPOSITE of life.

Death is the wages of sin.

Even as in Adam, all die… (I Cor 15:20-28)

How long is “death”?

Is it permanent?

Is it “eternal”? (Note: the word “eternal” is an English word and is not really in the bible. The biblical word is AION or OLAM… a long period of time, but never refers to something endless. As proof, Jonah was said to be in the belly of the whale 3 days and 3 nights, but was also said to be in the whale’s belly “forever”.)

By all appearances, death would seem to be a permanent state. Except for one little thing… Christ rose from the dead. And… except for the promise that “In Christ, All Will be Vivified.” (I COR 15:20-28)

THIS is the core message of the evangel; that Christ rose from the dead. And that his death and resurrection is what effects all of creation. And in a good way.

Death, and the dying (mortal) condition seems to effect everyone and every thing we do, say, and think.

We all want to live, right? Even if our lives are somewhat miserable, we all want to live.

No one wants to die the first time, so we can pretty well assume that no one wants “the second death.”

The Book of Revelation is a fascinating book of prophecy, allegory, metaphors, figures of speech, epic story-telling, and insight into the doings of God and Christ.

However, the Book of Revelation is actually short-sighted when it comes to the Ultimate Revelation of God’s Eonian Purpose. (Ref: Ephesians 3:11)

John, who wrote the book of Revelation, never saw the ultimate “end” of God’s purpose… John closed his book with the 4 enemies of God still hanging around.

NOTE: The four enemies of God, mentioned in Paul’s writings: I Cor 15:20-28, are…

• Rulership
• Authority
• Power
• And the last enemy to be abolished: death.

 

Now, as far as a satisfying look into the future, John’s Book of Revelation is a thrill ride (to be sure), but it falls short of giving you any real glimpse into God’s Purpose.

God’s purpose is to be “all in all” (I COR 15:28).

In the book of Revelation, God is shown to be all in some, and some in all, but Paul reveals that in the final chapter, God will be “all in all.” This is good news.

The Lake of Fire is the 2^nd death. But death’s power, death’s grip, is shown to be fleeting in that “Christ is the firstborn of those who sleep.” Christ’s resurrection is the first crack in the wall (so to speak). But he’s not the only one to come back, those who are Christ’s will be raise also, at his return. But that’s not all. One day “the end” will come. The “end” of what? The end of the vivification of all!!!

You see, “Even as in Adam, all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive.” But not so fast, Christ is the firstfruit… then those who are Christ’s at his return, THEN COMES THE END of the death’s fearful grip, when Christ abolishes all rule, all power, and all authority, (including his own rule, power, and authority). And finally, the last enemy to be abolished is DEATH. And if DEATH (the wages of sin) is abolished, NO ONE can remain death, dying or mortal in any way.

What about The Lake Of Fire? Well… It’s a little more serious than a deadly earthquake, a little more widespread in scope than a killer storm. Or a world war.

But the truth is: God is the savior of all mankind, especially, but not exclusively of believers.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees the eventual end, the abolition of death.

The lake of fire may be a serious event, but the resurrection of Christ is a more serious event. The Lake of Fire does not effect all, but the resurrection of Christ does effect all.

God is the savior of all. Death’s grip is slipping. Those who die a 2^nd time in the lake of fire, will one day, find that all are to be reconciled by the blood of the cross (COL 1:20).

The outlook looks grim, but it makes the salvation look even more dramatic.

Grace to you.
Linwood Austin

 

What About The Rich Man And Lazarus?

“We rely on the living God who is the savior of all”.

I Tim 4:10

The great battle before us is whether or not to rely on God… or to rely on your own self… your own “good works”… your own personal faith… for salvation. There are so many brothers and sisters in Christendom who have fallen into the trap that IF… IF… IF they do this or that, God will save them.

Yes, God will save, but not based on what you do. God will save based entirely on what Christ accomplished on the cross.

If you hint that God is the savior of all, many will say “What about the Rich Man and Lazarus?”

Well, let’s take a look.

We argue that the Rich Man and Lazarus story is not a literal story of what happens in regards to “final destiny”.

You see, the Rich Man and Lazarus is parable-like language. In fact, the Rich Man and Lazarus is the final part of a 5-part parable.

See Luke chapter 15 AND 16.

In Luke 15 verse 3 says, “Then Jesus told them this parable.” – One parable in five parts.

Part One: The “Parable” of the Lost Sheep.

Part Two: The “Parable” of the Lost Coin.

Part Three: The “Parable” of the Lost Son.

Part Four: The “Parable” of the Shrewd Manager.

Part Five: The “Parable” of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

Luke 15:3 DOES NOT SAY, “Jesus told them THESE PARABLES.” … It was ONE parable in five parts, not five different parables. Key difference.

This is one long, long, long message, which Jesus spoke to the tax collectors, and sinners who gathered around him. But He spoke it especially to the Pharisees and “teachers” of the law.

Those Pharisees were about works, deeds and matters of “the law”… and Jesus’ message TO THEM… was showing them that He was there for the sinner… the lost sheep… the lost coin… the lost son… and He was saying the Pharisees would do well to FORGIVE in a “shrewd” way, so they’d have favor when they got booted out of their lofty position.

And finally, he suggested that the Pharisees were like the Rich Man who was short sighted.

They were “rich” in knowledge of the law, and the prophets. But they missed something. Something vital. Jesus was there for the lost. Not the prideful “rich” who had knowledge, but missed the point altogether.

If you really want to get a grasp of most of Jesus’ teachings, you need to consider the knock-down, drag-out fight between Peter and Paul.

You can read about that “fight” in detail in Galatians chapter one AND chapter two.

There you’ll discover that the “gospel of the circumcision” is wildly different than that “the gospel of the uncircumcision.” One “gospel” especially applies to the Jews and their calling, their kingdom destiny, works and why they need to obey “the law.” However, the other “gospel” the one that concerns the uncircumcised…. They have a calling that’s based in GRACE and FAITH… rather than GRACE and WORKS.

Christ’s death and resurrection is for all (COL 1:20). However, much of his message before His death on the cross, concerned the Jews and just doesn’t apply to us today.

To get a clear idea of what is for us today, look to Paul’s message.

The message about The Rich Man and Lazarus should not be stretched and stretched and stretched beyond our core message… our message is that Christ died for your sins. The pharisees’ message was that you must fall in line (works) in order to be part of the big plan.

Even if you do take the Rich Man story as more than a parable, you must consider that it’s not a story of an “eternal” destiny. You see, the word “eternal” is an English word. It has no real equivalent in the whole book of God. The closest you’ll find is the word AION or OLAM, both of which mean a long time… but nothing even hinting at “without beginning and without end.”

Christ died for all, including “the Rich Man”. And His death for the Rich Man was not in vain.

Now, keep in mind that the Rich Man (and the Pharisees) will not see eonian life during the kingdom time period. And this is important.

God’s Eonian Purpose (Eph 3:11) for Israel and the nations is limited and conditional. There are rewards and punishments for them meted out during the eons.

But once God’s Eonian Purpose is completed, here’s what you’ll find: You’ll find that “Even as in Adam, all die, so in Christ All will be vivified.”. (I Cor 15:20-28).

In Christ, the Rich Man will be Vivified. In Christ all will be vivified.

But not until “the end” when Christ hands over the kingdom to God. (See I COR 15:24).

When the “kingdom” comes to and end, and is handed over to God, THEN, death, the last enemy abolished, will be undone and ALL will be vivified in Christ.

God is the Savior of All. Not just believers. All. But God does not save all at the same time. You see, God’s Eonian Purpose has a timeline. The very word “eon” is a time word. It is not anything like our English word “eternal”. (The English word “eternal” is said to be “without beginning and without end.”).

The word “EON” references a LONG time, but not “endless” time. Even the “reign of Christ” in one verse is said to be “forever and ever”… but in I COR 15:25, it clearly said, “He must reign UNTIL… He places his enemies under his feet.”

NOTE: If Christ reigns “forever and ever” then his enemies will never be placed under his feet.. if the word “UNTIL” has any meaning.

So, the scripture actually said “Christ will reign for the eons of the eons.” Not “forever”… but for the eons.

The punishment of the Rich Man, is an “eonian” punishment. It’s not endless.

The death and resurrection of Christ breaks the power of death. Death is the “wages of sin”… but Christ death and resurrection, guarantees the “death of death”. (I COR 15:25)

The “Rich Man’s” sins were to ignore the poor. Did Christ die for those sins too? You bet.

It’s not like the Rich Man was a Hitler. It’s not like he was a Judas who betrayed Jesus for a few pieces of silver. His sins were serious and deserve “the wages of sin”, but Christ’s achievement on the cross is much more serious. And gloriously undoes all that sin did. (See Romans 5:18-19)

And one day, “every knee will bow” even the Rich Man’s knee. And “every tongue will confess” even the Rich Man’s tongue, that Jesus Christ is Lord. And this will result in Christ’s having a name above every name. (See Phil 2: 9-11). And this is not a “too late” type of thing. You see, the words “too late” are not in the Bible.

Christ death and resurrection is the foundation of God’s Eonian Purpose. And the vivification of all, (I COR 15:20-28) is the consummation of God’s Eonian Purpose.

The Rich Man’s sins cannot nullify God’s work in Christ’s cross.

That’s why, “we rely on the living God, who is the Savior of all.