Although many modern variations of the Gospel of Salvation are offered in the churches today, there is only one True Gospel that “saves“!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, together with the Gospel of the Kingdom (mentioned by Jesus in Matt 4:23) are messages of HOPE provided by our Creator to His children. These are to encourage God’s people to keep and strengthen their faith (Eph 3:16), especially during times of trouble.
History of How the True Gospel Affected Faith
Throughout the past 2,000 years, Christians have been burned alive on crosses and fed to lions in a demonstration of their faith towards God (Heb 11:37). These faithful saints had the courage to face their enemies because the True Gospel they heard, believed and trusted in gave “their inner man“ (2 Cor 4:16) the strength needed to “patiently endure to the end” (Matt 10:22).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
John 12:24-25
Modern Persecution of Christians
Today’s watered-down ‘gospels’ fail every test to provide the necessary HOPE in modern Christians that the True Gospel message did to Christians in the early church.
It is reported that in the past year, persecution of Christians is increasing throughout the world.
- Over 245 million Christians living in places where they experience high levels of persecution
- 4,305 Christians killed for their faith
- 1,847 churches and other Christian buildings attacked.
- 3,150 believers detained without trial, arrested, sentenced or imprisoned
From this is can be assumed that Christians in Western countries will soon be forced to either denounce their faith or be beheaded. The Book of Revelation has prophesied this will happen:
“And …I saw the SOULS OF THEM that were BEHEADED for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
Rev 20:4
To illustrate how this situation is “at the doors” (Matt 24:33), there have been reports for several years that the American Army purchased 30,000 guillotines in which to execute American citizens under Obamacare legally. The image below illustrates this, and this 15 minute YouTube video provides a more detailed explanation.
In light of the foregoing, what follows is my understanding of the True Gospel of Jesus Christ. It not only represents the core beliefs of Paul’s Gospel explained elsewhere in my blog’s posts,but also it provides the same HOPE that the early Christians had when they were persecuted for their faith.
“Yea, and ALL [disciples of Jesus Christ] that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION.”
2 Tim 3:12
The True Gospel of HOPE!
When a disaster occurs in our life, we need ‘HOPE’ to carry us through until our lives can (HOPEfully) resume again.
“For we are SAVED BY HOPE: but HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NOT HOPE: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But IF WE HOPE FOR THAT WE SEE NOT, then do we with patience wait for it.”
Rom 8:24-25
Now FAITH is THE SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
The True Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The True Gospel of Jesus Christ contains the following points for it to become “THE Good News” that enables God’s people to “endure to the end to be saved” (Matt 10:22). Before one can hear the “good news” of the True Gospel, the “bad news” of what Christians are “saved” from must be appreciated.
First, the Bad News
We are all born into this world under the curse of Adam and Eve (1 Cor 15:47) which is first witnessed by children rebelling against parental authority and later against God when adults. This is termed being a rebel (by committing “iniquity” – Psalm 51:5) in God’s kingdom on the Earth.
The Bible says that all sinners will one day stand before the Great White Throne to be judged (Rev 20:6; 20:12; 20:11). This will happen after the Second Resurrection.
Both Christians and non-Christians who have rebelled against God (Psalm 78:8) and His words — these will be judged by Jesus Christ (Acts 10:42). Here is where Christ sentences them to spend eternity in their resurrected eternal bodies dying daily in the Lake of Fire (Rev 21:8).
This warning of eternal pain and suffering to rebels is required to be preached by Christians about the wrath of God that will come (Matt 3:7). This is not happening, because most Christians have replaced their Creator (God) and His Son Jesus Christ as Savior with false ‘gods’ that “love” sinners into Hell. The One True God only wants to spend eternity with those who love, honor, obey and willingly serve Him (1 John 5:3; John 12:26).
If an unbeliever accepts that any outcome involving Hell is “Bad News”, then the same needs the “Good News” (meaning the True Gospel) to be “saved” from this terrible fate.
The GOOD NEWS!
Jesus Christ is the ONLY Savior, because He (as being God the Son before the world began— John 1:1) came to be the ‘light of the world” (John 8:12). He freely chose to humble Himself from formerly being God (John 1:1) to become a man (Phil 2:8). Once born to Mary (Isaiah 7:14), He worked, fed and provided for His means while on the Earth as we do (Mark 6:3).
If Christ had succumbed to committing just one sinful act throughout His lifetime of 33 years—this would have nullified His mission of becoming “Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). Had this happened, there was no Plan B for God and for Christ to “save” humanity! Praise God that Christ had the victory over SIN and over Satan’s temptations!!
Comparison of Animal Sacrifices with Christ
Under the Laws of Moses, the Jews were to atone for their sins by killing the Passover Lamb (Exod 12:21). The animal’s blood symbolically cleansed each Jewish family and their nation of their sins (Exod 12:21-24).
Jesus Christ came to the Earth to do away with the laws of killing animals for sins, as this ritual was never able to make the sinners “perfect” (Heb 10:1). Added to this, the Levitical priests of Christ’s day had corrupted the Laws of Moses (Matt 15:6) to benefit themselves. They did this by persecuting and robbing God’s people (the Jews) of their wealth (Matt 23:14). This was why the religious leaders hated Jesus, because He exposed their corrupt ways and their hypocrisy (Matt 23:13) to the ordinary people.
Christ’s Suffering and Death
Prior to His death, Jesus Christ was falsely accused by the religious Jews and judged wrongfully by Pilate (Matt 27:24).
He was brutally tortured by the soldiers (Matt 27:25-30) before being painfully nailed to His cross (Col 2:14). In this, He was an innocent man killed by those He came to save (1 Peter 3:18).
After He had died, a soldier plunged his spear into Christ’s side to prove His death, thereby causing His blood and water to spill onto the ground (John 19:34). This “shedding of innocent blood” fulfilled the requirement for Christ to become “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world” (John 1:29; Heb 9:22).
What has been said so far represents the FIRST part of the Good News of the True Gospel. This is because it means every person on Earth potentially has a Savior of their soul from spending eternity in Hell. Christ is that Savior whose blood can “wash away every sin” (Rev 1:5) and “cleanse any repentant sinner from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
However, as becoming God’s children by adoption (Eph 1:5) and by accepting these spiritual truths (1 Cor 2:14), we must then begin to hate sin as God hates sin (1 John 3:6; 1 John 5:18). In this we should no longer want to succumb to its temptations by repeating them (James 4:7), because:
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, THAT HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is [truly] born [again] of God.”
1 John 3:8-9
The GOOD News!
Finally, after Christ had been dead in the tomb for three days and three nights — or 72 hours (Matt 12:40), He rose from the grave in His resurrected (eternal) body. This happened early on our Sunday morning (Mark 16:2), where His glorious resurrection (1 Cor 15:6) proved that Jesus had overcome Satan’s deceptions and lies (Isa 53:1-12). Jesus had also defeated the curse of Adam and Eve sent upon all people on Earth! He also defeated the power of the grave, where dead bodies return back to dust.
Christ’s Return at the Rapture
Christ’s disciples who are living in these “last days” (2 Tim 3:1-7) are awaiting the appearance of Satan’s son ‘The Antichrist’ (Rev 13:1-4). Following this, Christ’s “wise virgins” (Matt 25:1-13) will be found waiting for their Savior’s arrival to the space above the clouds. Once arrived, He will first “raise the dead in Christ” (1 Thes 4:16) into their glorified (resurrected) bodies into the same type of glorified eternal body as He has (1 Cor 15:51-53) followed by “…we who are alive and remain” (1 Thes 4:17).
This means Christ will then translate the bodies of the “Wise Virgins” on the Earth (1 Cor 15:52) into glorified bodies the same as His. Christ will then transport His ‘saints’ (Rev 14:12) beyond the clouds, so that the “sons of God” will remain in His presence forever.
Those who are “raptured into Heaven” will then participate in the “Marriage Supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9). Following this is their Judgment for Rewards for faithful service (1 Cor 3:11-15), where the flames will not burn their “good works” (1 Cor 3:12-14).
In this scene, Christ’s disciples are referred to as “good and faithful servants” (Matt 25:21). He then allocates them to be in authority over ten cities or over five cities (Luke 19:15-19) in accordance to how many of their “works” survived the flames.
The Millennium and Beyond
At the end of the seven-years of Tribulation on the Earth, the saints accompany Christ back to the Earth (Rev 19:11-14), where Jesus casts ‘The Antichrist’ and the ‘False Prophet’ into the ‘Lake of Fire’ (Rev 19:20), followed by the “goat nations” into Hell (Matt 25:31-46).
Christ will then establish His kingdom on Earth — with His capital city located at Jerusalem (Matt 19:28). Christ’s kingdom will last for 1,000 years (Rev 20:4). During that time, Satan will be bound in the Bottomless Pit (Rev 20:1-3) thereby allowing peace, justice and good government to be experienced throughout the entire Earth (Rev 20:1-3).
True Gospel Christians MUST be “Overcomers”!
Those who become “overcomers” over Satan’s lies and deceptions are termed “sons of God” (Rom 8:14). This is because they defeated Satan in the same manner as Jesus defeated him (Rev 3:21). This is because Christ (as the Great Shepherd of God’s Sheep — Heb 13:20) leads those who follow Him (John 10:27) through trials, tribulations, persecutions and rejection (1 Peter 1:7; Acts 14:22; 2 Cor 12:10; Luke 6:22). Those who “overcome” these trials will eventually arrive at the “strait gate” (Matt 7:14) and ultimately eternal life with Christ in the New Earth (Rev 21:1-7). .
Now, isn’t that “GOOD NEWS“!!
The ‘Everlasting Gospel’ — compatibility check with ‘My Gospel’
The Bible states that throughout the Tribulation period, an angel will fly in the midst of the sky preaching the Everlasting Gospel to the world’s inhabitants. This scene occurs AFTER the True Church of Jesus Christ has been raptured into Heaven:
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. ”
Rev 14:6-7
The term “everlasting” from Strong’s Dictionary says:
G126
ἀΐ́διος
aidios
ah-id’-ee-os
From G104; everduring (forward and backward, or forward only): – eternal, everlasting.
The scriptures state what the hearers of this Gospel message have to apply in their lives:
- The FEAR of God
- To give GLORY to God
- WORSHIP God.
The Fear of God
Paul’s statement in 2 Cor. 7:1 gives Christians a command to “…cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the FEAR OF GOD”
In addition, Paul demands in Eph 5:21 that Christians “Submit yourselves one to another in the FEAR OF GOD”
Therefore, the Fear of God should be viewed as the same an obedient child might have with a loving father. If the father knows something is dangerous for his child, he warns him and says “Don’t do..!” Similarly, if the child respects His father’s wisdom, and the care and love he has for him, he will obey his father’s words. That’s how it is with God and His “fear” if the child disobeys his father.
Glory to God
The Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 4:16, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
In other words, ALL Christian suffering should be at the hands of evil and wicked men (and women); whereby when such persecution occurs, the Christian is able to “glorify God”!
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. “
1 Peter 4:13
The Worship of God
The Apostle Paul states there are only TWO ways in which a Christian can offer true worship to God:
- To worship God IN THE SPIRIT (Phil 3:3)
- To worship God IN SPIRIT and IN TRUTH (John 4:24)
“Worship” generally has action associated with it. In this sense, the worship of God associates with the lifting of hands that hang down (Heb 12:12-13) to praise of God for who He is and to worship Him for what He has done. However, a far more potent form of worship is when Christians prove what is true and then share, debate or “earnestly contend for the faith” using scripture verses against others (Jude 1:3) who “oppose themselves and God” (2 Tim 2:25).
Worshiping God “in the Spirit” can only happen when “born-again” (John 3:8) Christians unite together as “members of the Body of Christ” (1 Cor 12:7-27) to go forth as one united Man to spoil Satan’s kingdom, and in doing so produce spiritual “fruit” unto God (John 15:1-2).
Conclusion
From the foregoing, it can be concluded that the Apostle Paul’s ‘Gospel’ agrees with the requirements of the ‘Everlasting Gospel’ and that both of these align with the True Gospel presented here.
Did the apostles Paul and Barnabas teach the true Gospel? When the Philippian jailer asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” how did they respond?
They said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:30,31)
Did the apostle John teach the true Gospel? Who are born of God according to Him? “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.” (1 John 5:1)
The Gospel is: “God loved the world in this way: He gave the only Son so that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
We are born again as we believe in Jesus of Nazareth as Christ, Savior, and Lord; but God has promised, “He who began in you a good work will fully complete it unto the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). If we truly believe in Jesus, God will in His wise ways make us holy and conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Hello Travis, and thank you for taking the time to comment.
Firstly, ALL eleven apostles were in UNITY with each other. There were no divisions between them, especially on doctrine. However, the Apostle Paul expounded what Christ revealed to him on a spiritual level that sometimes the other disciples had trouble wrestling with. The same “STRIVING” (Luke 13:24) applies today (2 Peter 3:15-17), yet most Christians are unaware of this requirement.
The verses you quote I totally agree with, but they represent INITIAL Salvation that commences believing in Christ in FAITH ONLY. Faith alone (throughout one’s entire lifetime as a ‘believer’ that rejects the needs for “WORKS” ) represents “DEAD FAITH” or worthless faith that is unable to save a soul from Hell:
“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: THE DEVILS BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE.” (James 2:19)
The Apostle James is saying here that FAITH ALONE without the accompanying “WORKS” only puts such a Christian at the spiritual level of FAITH as that of the devils – and these have NO Salvation.
The Apostle James then says:
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy FAITH WITHOUT THY WORKS [FAITH ONLY], and I will shew thee my FAITH BY MY WORKS [FAITH + WORKS].” (James 2:18)
Finally, most Christians have failed to appreciate that God requires them to demonstrate they have become “SONS OF GOD” while here on the Earth to become eligible to inherit the joys and blessings of God’s kingdom.
In this, Jesus Christ was THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD (John 1:14 and Mark 1:1) and He came down to do the “WILL OF HIS FATHER” on the Earth (John 6:38).
In the same manner, ONLY THOSE CHRISTIANS who have truly experienced the New Birth (John 3:3-8) and have been truly birthed into God’s kingdom through the One True Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15) are eligible to become the spiritual members of Christ’s spiritual “BODY OF BELIEVERS” on Earth (1 Cor 12:12-27) so as to undertake God the Father’s WILL – just as Christ did.
“For WHOSOEVER SHALL DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother [meaning, a member of the Family of God = SALVATION!!!].” (Matthew 12:50)
Each “MEMBER” of Christ’s spiritual body of believers on the Earth is then allocated the necessary spiritual “GIFTS” by the Holy Spirit so as to be able to bring forth the necessary spiritual “FRUIT” into God’s kingdom:
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the WORD OF WISDOM; to another the WORD OF KNOWLEDGE by the same Spirit; 9 To another FAITH by the same Spirit; to another the GIFTS OF HEALING by the same Spirit; 10 To another the WORKING OF MIRACLES; to another PROPHECY; to another DISCERNING OF (evil) SPIRITS; to another DIVERS[e] KINDS OF TONGUES; to another the INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, DIVIDING TO EVERY MAN SEVERALLY AS HE WILL.” (1 Cor 12:7-11)
“Herein is my Father glorified, THAT YE BEAR MUCH FRUIT; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
If Christians today prefer to be hoodwinked into believing a FAITH ONLY (false) gospel – then God allows each to choose which ‘gospel’ they prefer to believe. However, as God allowed Adam and Eve to be “hoodwinked” by the lies and the deceptions of Satan so that they could choose eternal life with God OR spend eternity in Hell, it was their choice.
The same applies today, Travis. A Christian cannot remove certain verses of the words of Christ from the Bible to justify their beliefs – and expect God and Christ to honor their false belief. You either believe ALL the words of Christ in the Gospels, or you don’t. If you simply choose the promises and forget about the CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROMISES, you have believed a false gospel,
“For if he [a false preacher] that cometh preacheth ANOTHER [false] JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER [false holy] SPIRIT, which ye have not received, or ANOTHER [false] GOSPEL, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” (2 Corinthians 11:4)
“He that rejecteth me, AND RECEIVETH NOT [every one of] MY WORDS, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, THE SAME [words he or she rejects] SHALL JUDGE HIM IN THE LAST DAY.” (John 12:48)
Below are just a few scripture verses that prove there are certain CONDITIONS mentioned in scripture that Christians must wrestle with if he or she sincerely hopes to be Saved from this present evil world into God’s kingdom:
“Not every one [an immature, non-spiritual Christian] that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but [ONLY] HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.” (Matthew 7:21)
“Follow peace with all men, AND HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN WILL SEE THE LORD” (Hebrews 12:14)
“AND HE [any Christian] THAT TAKETH NOT HIS CROSS, and followeth after me, IS NOT WORTHY OF ME.” (Matthew 10:38)
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; BECAUSE THEY [today’s ‘Faith Only’ Christians] RECEIVED NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH [from embracing ALL the words of Christ], THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie;” (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
Please feel free to respond if you would like to pursue this matter further, Travis.
Dear Alan,
I do not necessarily disagree with anything you wrote, I don’t think. Nevertheless, I fear there is a danger in making the receiving of Christ sound impossibly difficult.
Paul referencing Moses wrote:
“But the righteousness from faith speaks in this way: ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” (that is to bring Christ up from the dead).’ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” which is the word of faith which we proclaim. For if you confess in your mouth Jesus [as] Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
(Romans 10:6-9)
I believe we are saved through faith alone, by grace. But this faith must be a true living faith. If a person truly has faith in Jesus as Lord of all, including of them, they will necessarily want to follow His commands. As He said, “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)
My thought is that if someone says they have faith in Jesus as Lord, but do not want to obey Him, they prove that their claim about their faith was false.
Finally, I would ask out of curiosity: How did the criminal who died beside Jesus and was promised paradise prove that he was a “son of God”? (I am not saying that he didn’t; but how would you say that he did?)
God bless,
Dear Travis,
Thank you once again for keeping the discussion alive with some interesting comments.
Firstly you say:
I feel that the gospels that preach Salvation today make “…the receiving of Christ” extremely easy, and of little or no effort on behalf of the believer’s part and therefore of little worth. Such a contrast in the modern ‘gospels’ to what I present as “Paul’s Gospel” represents the dividing line between an ‘easy-to-believe‘ (false) gospel compared to the ONLY True Gospel that Christ requires His people to “STRIVE to enter in to the Kingdom of Heaven”:
To enter into the “STRAIT GATE“, one has to first embark along the “Narrow Way“, and that cannot happen unless one is truly “Born-again” into the Kingdom of God and has “SEEN” (and can report on) what God the Father has shown him (or her).
In my own experience, God the Father showed me the degree of evil that had infiltrated the churches in the form of symbols and false doctrine, and He said to me, “Go My son and reveal this evil to my people”, to which I said, “Yes, I will”. I was 42-years old at the time.
My point here is that every Christian who claims to be “born-again” MUST be able to report on what God the Father has shown him or her in Heaven at their new birth, based upon the following scripture verse:
My point here is that Christians MUST become spiritual in their new life in Christ and NOT ‘religious’. Religion kills the spirit because it is of the Devil and not of God. On the other hand, being spiritual opens up the Christian’s spiritual eyes to those things God wants him or her to know about. That is why Jesus said these words:
This means that when Christ leads a disciple of His into a false church that preaches a false gospel, if the people there reject the truths that the scriptures reveal and they cast God’s messenger out of their company, Christ simply says:
Next, you quote Romans 10:6-9 that ends with “For if you confess in your mouth Jesus [as] Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Again, I fully support this passage on the basis that it relates to INITIAL SALVATION. If anyone tries to make these verses applicable throughout a Christian’s ‘Saved’ lifetime where “works” are ignored completely, then the following words from Christ will be heard by such people AFTER the Rapture has occurred and they have been left behind to face The Antichrist and his people:
My point here once again is that Jesus has stated quite plainly that “KNOWING HIM PERSONALLY” (John 10:2-4) and of “KNOWING GOD THE FATHER PERSONALLY” (John 6:45) must also relate personally to the Holy Spirit by having “a LOVE OF THE TRUTH” (John 16:13).
Your last point was this.
We must remember that the thief on the cross next to Christ could not do anything other than express his faith in Christ as being his ‘Savior’ because he was nailed to the cross and dying. This is the most basic form of Salvation that God has reserved for those who are about to die – whether on a cross or a surgeon’s operating table. If such people have had the gospel preached to them about Christ and they have believed upon Him as the ‘Savior’ of their soul from Hell in faith – then he or she is “Saved”!! This is Romans 10: 9-10 in action.
However, for the rest of us who live many years beyond the day we accepted Christ as “Savior”, we are required to “run the race set before each of us” (Heb 12:1) that also involves “carrying our cross that Christ gives each of us” (Matthew 16:24) so that each of us “travels along the Narrow Way that leads to eternal life with Christ” (Matt 7:14) “carrying our sheaves with us” (Psalm 126:6). This can ONLY be achieved by “walking in the Spirit” (Rom 8:1) and being “spiritually minded” (Romans 8:6).
Feel free to comment on anything I have said here, Travis.
Blessings to you too.
Dear Alan,
It is taking me a while to return to this conversation thread. I am glad to see your detailed reply.
Once again I do not think I disagree necessarily with anything you wrote, but the tone gives me pause (please pardon my saying so).
I would like to determine, if possible, whether we actually have any real disagreement. For example, I agree that we must be born again and come into a real realtionship with God. I believe the way we do this is through repentance and faith in Christ and that once born again the Father will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), as He has promised.
You point out that Jesus places what could be called “conditions” on who will be saved. Such as:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
and
“He who loves father or mother above Me is not worthy of Me and he who loves son or daughter above Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37)
I agree that such passages are sobering and should be considered carefully by Christians and people thinking of giving their lives to Christ.
My question for you, I suppose, is whether you believe it is possible for someone to truly from their heart repent of their sin and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, being regenerated in their spirit, and then somehow through a lack of their own effort or strength fail to ultimately fulfill the conditions God has placed on salvation.
Or do you believe, as I do, that if anyone sincerely confesses Jesus as Lord and sincerely believes that God raised Him from the dead, then God, as He has promised, will certainly strengthen and empower that person to successfully “run the race” and to stand on that last day as an accepted child of God?
God bless you,
Please research what you’ve said about the guillotines. This has been widely debunked. I’d like to know what evidence there is for this, aside from a youtube video. Something that should never be trusted alone.
Hello James,
I reviewed the video and found it factual.
I put into the Google search engine the string, “icd 9 e978 guillotine” and it revealed a number of websites that refer to the guillotine being used for executions.
Most notably is the this link that associates with the National Institute of health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that defines certain types of judicial executions under the heading, “Synonyms & Abbreviations”.
If you look down this list, the third description clearly states:
“All executions performed at the behest of the judiciary or ruling authority as, beheading, decapitation by guillotine”
The same description goes for:
What it also says is that the execution can be ordered “…at the behest of the judiciary or ruling authority, whether permanent or temporary” – presumably, whether the judge has been appointed officially into the role or is simply a temporary judge established for a temporary purpose.
Maybe you might care to comment on this James?
Alan
I hope you, your family, and friends stay safe by taking the proper precuations as we enter in to confusing and troubling times as we watch a worldwide pandemic unfold with this Coronavirus.
Could there be something more deeper going on with all of this? Could we be seeing the signs of the times unfolding? Could this be a door of opportunity for people to open their hearts to what God has to say?
Jesus says to His disciples concerning the last days, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8).
We have been seeing a record setting amount of Earthquakes world-wide in various places, incuding places that normally do not receive Earthquakes. Now with this Coronavirus, could this be one of the pestilences that will fall upon us in the last days as spoken by Jesus? Where will it leave our economy? Did you know the Bible teaches there will be a cashless society in the last days? Will this be a major stepping stone in bringing that about?
You may have seen on NBC news just months ago concerning the implantable RFID microchip that is gaining ground in Sweden where people are getting this microchip implanted in their hand.
Would you allow a microchip to be placed inside your body that has the ability to track where you go and what you do? How about if you knew it matched perfectly with Bible prophecy where God warns us not to take it during the future reign of the Antichrist, otherwise we will receive the fullness of His wrath (Revelation 14:9-11)?
This may be the most imporant message you will read in these times…please do not ignore this! This messsage reveals what the Mark of the Beast is, and the meaning behind counting a number people have been pondering for centuries, 666. This is truly a message from God!
In the Revelation of Jesus Christ given to the apostle John, we read:
“He (the false prophet who deceives many by his miracles) causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” (Revelation 13:16-18).
Revelation 13:16-18 is speaking of the end times, and this could only be speaking of a cashless money society, which we have yet to see, but are heading towards. Why? Because we could still buy or sell without receiving the mark among one another if physical money was still currency. It logically deduces itself to this reason.
This mark could not be spiritual, because the word references two different physical locations stating one “OR” the other.
This is where it really starts to come together. It is shocking how accurate the Bible is concerning this RFID microchip. These are notes from a man named Carl Sanders who worked with a team of engineers to help develop this RFID microchip in the 1960’s.
“Carl Sanders sat in seventeen New World Order meetings with heads-of-state officials such as Henry Kissinger and Bob Gates of the C.I.A. to discuss plans on how to bring about this one-world system. The government commissioned Carl Sanders to design a microchip for identifying and controlling the peoples of the world—a microchip that could be inserted under the skin with a hypodermic needle (a quick, convenient method that would be gradually accepted by society).
Carl Sanders, with a team of engineers behind him, with U.S. grant monies supplied by tax dollars, took on this project and designed a microchip that is powered by a lithium battery, rechargeable through the temperature changes in our skin. Without the knowledge of the Bible (Brother Sanders was not a Christian at the time), these engineers spent one-and-a-half-million dollars doing research on the best and most convenient place to have the microchip inserted.
Guess what? These researchers found that the forehead and the back of the hand (the two places Revelation says the mark will go) are not just the most convenient places, but are also the only viable places for rapid, consistent temperature changes in the skin to recharge the lithium battery. The microchip is approximately seven millimeters in length, .75 millimeters in diameter, about the size of a grain of rice. It is capable of storing pages upon pages of information about you. All your general history, work history, crime record, health history, and financial data can be stored on this chip.
Brother Sanders believes that this microchip, which he regretfully helped design, is the “mark†spoken about in Revelation 13:16–18. The original Greek word for “mark†is “charagma,†which means a “scratch or etching.†It is also interesting to note that the number 666 is actually a word in the original Greek. The word is “chi xi stigma,†with the last part, “stigma,†also meaning “to stick or prick.†Carl believes this is referring to a hypodermic needle when they poke into the skin to inject the microchip.”
Mr. Sanders asked a Boston Medical Center doctor what would happen if the lithium contained within the RFID microchip leaked into the body. The doctor responded that if the microchip broke inside a human body, the lithium would cause a severe and painful wound filled with pus. This is what the book of Revelation says:
“And the first(Angel) went, and poured out his vial on the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore on the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image” (Revelation 16:2).
The Bible tells us we cannot buy or sell without the mark of the beast, or the number of its name. This number is identified as 666. The Bible tells us to calculate the number 666. How do we calculate 666?
This is where it gets really interesting. Calculating the number 666 has been long debated throughout the centuries, but has now been revealed in these last days by God. What I will show you confirms itself with the Bible the true meaning to calculate 666.
Throughout the Bible, God uses the number 3 as confirmation of things. Here are a few examples:
“For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one” (1 John 5:7 NKJV).
“and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:4 NKJV).
“…Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8 NKJV).
Now what is interesting is the the mark of the beast is described in detail in three separate verses (Revelation 13:16,17,18), and each verse lists three different examples of the given topic. The last three being the number 6 being used three times in a row. This is a key point to unlocking how to calculate the number 666.
What does it mean to count? It means to add up. So how could we add up 666? Remember my previous point about God confirming in threes. So logically, what would be the best way to count the number 666? To count it equally in threes based off the number. We cannot count it equally as 600+60+6, this would also bring us back to the start. We cannot count it as 600+600+600, or 60+60+60, because there are no zeroes in between or at the end of 666. The only logical option is 6+6+6=18. What is interesting is that the verse that reveals for us to count the number itself is verse 18, being the third verse out of three verses that describe the mark of the beast. What is 18 divided by 3? 6. So 3×6=18, or 6+6+6=18.
Another interesting point is the only two other combinations (making a total of three possible combinations) for placing a “+” symbol in between the 6’s are 66+6=72, and 6+66=72. Add both 72’s together and you get 144. Why the number 144 is interesting is because the verse following Revelation 13:18 is the first time in the Bible where the 144,000 are being described in detail:
“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads…” (Revelation 14:1).
Now if you add up all three numbers by counting 666 by moving the “+” symbol around in all three possible combinations, it would be 72+72+18=162. What is interesting about the number 162, is, if you divide 144,000 by 162, you get 888. The name of Jesus in Greek gematria adds up to 888. The New Testament was orignally written in Greek. Revelation 14:1 not only mentions the 144,000, but also the Lamb who is Jesus.
Now what is interesting about the number for Jesus, 888, is that if you apply this same formula, you get 8+8+8=24. Why the number 24? Revelation chapter 4 tells us there are 24 elders seated around the throne of God. This is the same throne where Jesus sits:
“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads” (Revelation 4:2-4).
Now if you take 8+8+8=24, and 8+88=96, and 88+8=96, you get 24+96+96=216. Take 144,000 divided by 216 and you get 666. Remember that this was the same exact formula to get the number 162 out of counting 666 that brought about the number 888 when dividing 144,000 by 162. It is perpetual.
With using the same formula of counting by adding the “+” symbol in between the numbers, why do all these numbers relate in such a way?
The book of Revelation contains the use of the number 7 in various forms. For instance 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls. What is interesting about the number 37 (three sevens) is if if you divide any number that contains the same single digit three times in a row, such as 111 to 999, it comes out to the value of if you were to add all three numbers up. For example 888 divided by 37 equals 24. So 8+8+8=24. Or 666 divided by 37 equals 18. So 6+6+6=18. Could this be another way of God’s word confirming itself that the mystery behind calculating the number 666 indeed is 18?
Another interesting point to note is that if you add up all the numbers from 1 to 36, it totals 666. The number 36, as in three sixes? Could this be a hint that we should add up three sixes instead of perceiving the number as six-hundred sixty six?
So what could this mean? Well we know in this world we are identified by numbers in various forms. From our birth certificate to social security, as well as our drivers license, being identified based on a system of ruler ship. So it is possible that this RFID microchip will contain a new identification that has a total of 18 characters.
“here the wisdom is, the one having the mind let him calculate the number of the wild beast, number for “of human” it is, and the number of it 666″ (Revelation 13:1, Greek Translation).
The Greek word “anthrÅpos” being used in verse 18 where it says “of human” is the Greek strongs concordance G444. The first two definitions of the word are “a human being, whether male or female”, and, “generically, to include all human individuals”. Could the number of the beast apply to all mankind?
In the Greek (the New Testament was originally written in the Greek language), and other translations, you will notice the beast is described as an “it”, instead of “him”. The reason I’m making this point is because when a translation says “His number is 666”, this would imply a singular person, the Antichrist. But by saying “the number of it 666”, implies that it is of the beast system as a whole.
We can know the number of the beast cannot be to identify products (like a new barcode) to buy or sell because scripture says we cannot buy or sell without the number of the beast. What am I getting at? There will be instances where you could buy something someone made themselves and it wouldn’t have a store branded identification on it. But for this number to be in our chips, that is where it must be to conclude ultimately that we cannot buy or sell without having the number of the beast. As previously mentioned in Revelation 13:18, the number of the beast (6+6+6=18) is a “human number”, definition “generically, to include all human individuals”.
Could this be the name of the beast, the number of its name? The one-world beast system that is identified by 18 characters? This would fit scripture that speaks of a mark that we must have to buy or sell in our right hand or forehead, and that it also contains the number of the beast, during a future cashless money society.
Go to: http://voice-truth.com to see all the proof!
The Bible warns us in the end times that a false prophet will rise up doing miracles to deceive many to receive this mark:
“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” (Revelation 19:20).
No matter the cost, DO NOT TAKE IT!
“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:9-11).
We are living in very prophetic times with major Biblical prophecies being fulfilled. When Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as capital of Israel in December of 2017, this was a big step to bring about the Third Temple prophesied in the Bible.
The Bible tells us that the Antichrist will seat himself in this temple:
“…and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
In the Islamic religion, they have man called the Mahdi, known as their messiah who they are waiting to appear. There are many testimonies from people online who believe this man will be Barack Obama who is to be the biblical Antichrist. I myself have had strange dreams about him. He came on stage claiming to be a Christian with no affiliation to the Muslim faith, but was later revealed by his own family members that he indeed is a devout Muslim.
So what’s in the name? The meaning of someones name can say a lot about a person. God throughout history has given names to people that have a specific meaning tied to their lives. How about the name Barack Obama? Let us take a look at what may be hiding beneath the surface…
Jesus says, “And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven'” (Luke 10:18).
In Hebrew, the word Barack means “lightning”, and the use of Bama (Strongs Hebrew word 1116) is used to refer to the “heights” of heaven.
The day following the election of Barack Obama (11/04/08), the winning pick 3 lotto numbers in Illinois (Obama’s home state) for 11/5/08 were 666.
Obama was a U.S. senator for Illinois, and his zip code was 60606.
Regardless, whoever seats himself in that Third Temple in Jerusalem declaring himself to be God IS THE ANTICHRIST. DO NOT BE DECEIVED.
Why do we need Jesus?
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Our good works cannot save us. If we step before a judge, being guilty of a crime, the judge will not judge us by the good that we have done, but rather the crimes we have committed. If we as fallen humanity, created in God’s image, pose this type of justice, how much more a perfect, righteous, and Holy God?
God has brought down His moral law’s through the 10 commandments given to Moses at Mt. Siani. These laws were not given so we may be justified, but so that we may see the need for a savior. They are the mirror of God’s character of what He has put in each and every one of us, with our conscious bearing witness that we know that it is wrong to steal, lie, dishonor our parents, and so forth.
We can try and follow the moral laws of the 10 commandments, but we will never catch up to them to be justified before a Holy God. That same word of the law given to Moses became flesh over 2000 years ago in the body of Jesus Christ. He came to be our justification by fulfilling the law, living a sinless perfect life that only God could fulfill.
The gap between us and the law can never be reconciled by our own merit, but the arm of Jesus is stretched out by the grace and mercy of God. And if we are to grab on, through faith in Him, He will pull us up being the one to justify us. As in the court of law, if someone steps in and pays your fine, even though you are guilty, the judge can do what is legal and just and let you go free. This is what Jesus did almost 2000 years ago on the cross. It was a legal transaction being fulfilled in the spiritual realm by the shedding of His blood, with His last words being, “…It is finished!…” (John 19:30).
Now why did Jesus have to die for us?
Because God is Holy and just, the wrath that we deserve could not go unnoticed. Through the perfect righteousness and justice of God’s character, it must be dealt with, it must be quenched and satisfied.
For God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). This is why in Isaiah chapter 53, where it speaks of the coming Messiah and His soul being a sacrifice for our sins, why it says it pleased God to crush His only begotten Son.
This is because the wrath that we deserve was justified by being poured out upon His Son. If that wrath was poured out on us, we would all die and go to hell. God created a way of escape by pouring it out on His Son who’s soul could not be left in Hades, but was raised and seated at the right hand of God in power.
So now when we put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14), God no longer see’s the person who deserves His wrath, but rather the glorious image of His perfect Son dwelling in us, justifying us as if we received the wrath we deserve, making a way of escape from the curse of death.
Now what we must do is repent and trust in the savior, confessing and forsaking our sins. This is not just a head knowledge of believing in Jesus, but rather receiving His words, taking them to heart. Where we no longer live to practice sin, but rather turn from our sins and practice righteousness:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
By doing so we may become transformed into the image of God through faith in His Son Christ Jesus Who is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask of Him:
“Most assuredly, I (Jesus) say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:5-7).
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).
What are you waiting for? Our Father in heaven only wants the best for us, restoring everything this world has stolen from us. This is what it means to be “holy”. To be made whole.
He is waiting to hear from you. That God given tongue to speak language, through faith, pray to Him, ask Him to forgive you by confessing your sins and be willing to forsake them; that you accept the sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross, and that you want His Holy Spirit living inside you transforming you into a child of God.
Jesus says, “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him (the Holy Spirit) will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Did you know that Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else, even more than He spoke about heaven?! For this very reason He came to die for us, to rescue us from this place that we deserve.
He describes hell as a real place where,
“Their worm does not die
And the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44).
And where,
“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth…” (Luke 13:28).
Jesus tells us who to fear,
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’
Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’
And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'” (Revelation 21:1-8).
Out of all the world religions, how can we be sure the Bible got it right? The scientific data has established and continues to support that the universe once had a beginning in which space, time and matter were created. Many know this as the big bang.
“The non-biblical religions tell us that god or god’s create within space and time that eternally exist. The Bible stands alone and says that time and space don’t exist until God creates the universe.” – Astronomer (Phd) Hugh Ross
The Bible not only got it right that space, time and matter all came into existence at the beginning of the universe, it also states in 7 different places that the universe is expanding thousands of years before scientists discovered these things.
Did you know that the real Noah’s Ark was discovered in the location where the Bible told us it would be, as well as having the correct dimensions? As well as proof for the destruction of Sodom Gomorrah and the Exodus account of the Red Sea crossing?
The Bible is the most translated and read book in the history of the world, full of predictive prophecies, matching what we find in the book of nature. Wouldn’t you expect God’s word to be so?
This information and more can all be found here: http://voice-truth.com
God loves you!
Hi Sarah B,
Sorry it has taken so long to respond, but your comment ended up in my Spam box. Apologies.
Firstly, I am well aware of the many issues you raised in your comment, however I find today that many Christians are focusing their attention on end-time events instead of the scriptures and especially that of achieving HOLINESS, which is vital for entry into Heaven.
Dear Alan Manson,
Thank you for the straightforward explanation of the true Gospel. Many gospels have come into the world to confuse Christians, especially from assumptionists. this is because the power of teaching the true gospel wasn’t there. I read your initial-salvation process, and I got the essence of the process of salvation as illustrated in your diagram. It has aided me to understand the process of my salvation years back which need an accompaniment of works to reach an ultimate salvation. All that you’ve explained is true because it explained the processes I felt during my dramatic process of salvation. May God bless you more to teach people the true gospel.
Dear Brother Clement,
Thank you so much for your encouraging words towards the Apostle Paul’s (mystery) Gospel that I have now termed ‘My Gospel’ (Eph 6:19).
I am so pleased to learn how much it has encouraged you. Praise the Lord!
Thank you for encouraging me in this ministry.
God bless you Clement! Alan