When describing creation, five times, in Genesis 1, we read that God saw that it was good.
But after the creation of man, God saw that it was very good.
Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (bold mine)
Creating man in God's image and likeness was the crowning achievement in God's creative power and design. But in Genesis 3:3-5, we learn of the need for obedience in order to keep only the good.
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
We know that when Adam and Eve sinned, evil entered into the domain and God's angels drove them out of the garden. With disobedience comes consequences.
Genesis 3:14-19 informs us of such consequences. It is the knowing factor that determines judgment.
Elsewhere in God's Word, we find that there is double judgment for those who would be teachers and might lead others away from the true gospel into heresy and/or apostasy. The liability factor goes up! (more about this to come).
In Noah's generation, he and his family lived in the geographical area of what is today known as Iraq. For 120 years, Noah preached one sermon! It was the same sermon, but people laughed at him. Perhaps if we lived back then, we couldn't blame them for their laughter. Noah was building a huge boat, called an Ark, in an area of land that was 200 miles away from the nearest body of water! Up to this point in time, there had been no rain. The dew on the ground irrigated the plant life.
There were three warnings that Noah tried to share with those who were mocking him.
1. Rain is coming...it will be a judgment from God...and it will flood the earth.
2. Get in the boat!
3. Ultimately, Noah only had 8 converts. His family.
The flood came, and then it dawned on the people that "the crazy preacher" was right! They begged to get on that Ark that they had mocked for 120 years. But it was too late. Their time of over 120 years to turn away from sin and towards redemption along with Noah and his family had passed. They all drowned.
Those people couldn't accept Noah's seemingly "strange" message.
Today, the message and person of Jesus Christ is the "ark" of our salvation! He is the only way to salvation!
We clearly see that people today cannot accept, or refuse to accept what they perceive as a "strange" message.
The same thing happened at Sodom and Gomorrah. The people there practiced abomination by going after "strange flesh." When only Lot and his family were found to be somewhat "righteous," they were the only ones spared. Even then, it took angelic messengers to drag them out of there!! God destroyed it with fire and brimstone.
Want to reject God?
The Bible tells us that we are FOOLS if we do so!
Pro 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous [there is] favour.
The Bible tells us, "if you do this" then "God will do this." To not believe is betting that God has lied in His Bible!
There is a heaven and hell, whether you believe it or not! Your eternal soul is resting in the balance! You go to hell because you send yourself there. When you sin and you know its wrong, but do it anyway, that's willful.
People who don't like Pastor Hagee's "style" of preaching often say, "You're scaring the hell out of people!"
Pastor Hagee says, "I hope so!"
Unfortunately, in today's "politically correct" world, many don't want preachers to demonstrate God's hatred for sin. But God judges every sinner! Each of us are going to give an answer for every sin we have committed.
As an example. The abortionists in our country seem to think that they are getting away with their murderous endeavors. One day, they will face Jesus and have to answer for each one of those murdered babies!!
Do you believe in Godly fear?
Hebrews 12:29-29
Hbr 12:28
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Hbr 12:29
For our God [is] a consuming fire.
God is a consuming fire! Not a "bellhop."
Jesus Christ delivers us from the wrath to come!
The Four Judgments
1. Judgment for sin at the cross.
In the first week of April, 33 A.D. Jesus died on the cross for our sins.
John 1:27 tells us about His worthiness and our unworthiness.
Jhn 1:27
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
Jesus' sacrifice was when Abraham and Isaac's foreshadowing became real.
God forgives, forgets, buries and completely sends away...as far as the east is from the west, our sins from us. We are set free by Jesus Christ! We no longer suffer the sickness from our sin! We are now joint heirs with Jesus Christ!
Jhn 11:26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Jhn 14:20
At that day ye shall know that I [am] in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Jesus Christ is the hope OUR HOPE! He is King in all His glory! Halleluiah!
2. Judgment seat of Christ.
2Cr 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or bad.
This judgment refers to the church. It is not possible for non-believers to be there.
This judgment is instantly done after the Rapture. Believers are judged concerning all that they have done (and have not done) to advance the kingdom of Christ.
We are already in heaven, so this means that we have gotten at least that far. We are "in the Gate."
But what will be revealed is where we are and where we could have been.
1Cr 3:13
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
We will be subjected to "fire tests."
1Cr 3:14
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Verse 14 tells us about the rewards received (or not) according to what Christian believers have built their lives upon!
1Cr 3:15
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
In other words, those who do not abide in Christ are still saved, but suffer loss of rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
There are two illustrations here. Wood, hay and stubble are substances that burn up when "tested by fire." Gold, silver precious stones take the heat and are not burned up when "tested by fire." Such will be our deeds (as believers, that is).
God will cause our lives to become visible (e.g. similar to a video of it) and will thus be tested by fire.
Is your life ego-driven?
Do you glorify you?
Do you only please people rather than God?
Believers who may suffer the loss of rewards are not driven out of the gate, but there will be a small stench of sulfur around you! (As Pastor Hagee demonstrated, there will be a "sniff test.")
Will you be a Christian who endures the fire? And thus receives great rewards? Have you glorified Christ and Him alone?
3. Judgment of the Nations
After the seven year tribulation, Christ comes back to earth at the Second Coming. Nations will be judged according to how they treated the Jewish people.
Mat 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
Gentiles were outside "the covenant" until the cross of Christ. The central theme of Scripture is that we gentiles have been "grafted in". Jesus Christ redeemed us and made us His own!
Every person and nation must answer for how they treated the Jews. Look up the facts in history. We find Nazism, and today, Islamo-facist terrorism in direct disobedience of God's commands regarding the Jewish nation.
(See Ezekiel 39)
Joe 3:2
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and [for] my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
Back in 1945, the UK voted against Israel becoming a state! That nation will one day have to answer for that!
Today, any nation that is bent on forcing Israel to give up land is going against God's will for the nation! Let Israel alone!! As the forever labeled Holy Land, they are the economy of God Himself!
Hell on earth:
Psa 9:17
The wicked shall be turned into hell, [and] all the nations that forget God.
Curse on the economy:
Deu 28:17
"Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
America had an 8.5 trillion dollar debt. It takes almost all of our taxes to pay the interest! 1.74 billion a day since Sept. 2005! We are racing towards bankruptcy. I don't think that it is a coincidence that this is happening at this time because of the "Land for peace" deal that is being forced upon Israel!
Another factor is the incurable plagues!
Deu 28:21
"The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess.
We have AIDS and the coming bird flu pandemics!
Psalm 91:7 - The Lord of hosts is my defense!
Psa 91:7
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee.
Deuteronomy 28:24 warns of sustained drought.
Deu 28:24
"The LORD will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.
Something unusual is happening...
Deu 28:25
"The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.
God's standard has not decreased for America!
In the Vietnam war, victory turned out not to be the ultimate objective. In our current war in Iraq, we need to seriously look at the mistake that "cutting and running" would cause. We must stay the course and come back victorious!
4. Final Judgment: Great White Throne Judgment
1,007 years after the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Great White Throne Judgment occurs.
Rev 20:11
¶
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The dead are judged according to their works. Death and Hell are cast into the Lake of Fire. Every person who rejects Jesus Christ will be in this judgment!
Millions will stand, weeping and wailing as they are formally sentenced. They will go from a bad place (Hell) to a worst place. The powerful and pathetic; the rich and poor, the religious and lost...all who deny Christ before man will be denied before God.
No one escapes.
If this doesn't chill you to the bone, then nothing probably ever will!
Non-believers and false converts will see the Son and hear him say, "I never knew you."
The choice is yours. Choose well and choose now. We could hear the trumpet at any moment!
Like Noah's warning...the storm is coming!
God is getting ready to call the Bride home to Him.
Are you ready to see the Lord?
God will open the Book of Life one day.
The most important decision in your life is to get your name into that book!
The only way is through Jesus Christ!
Posts
8 comments:
Is this Pastor John Hagee of Global Evangelism Television who paid himself rather large salaries according to IRS records?
These are the figures I have:
2001 $1,256,000.00
2002 $1,223,000.00
2003 $1,320,000.00
2004 $798,000.00
I guess he will be smelling a bit like a camel when it comes to the "sniff test".
Have you also investigated his charitable giving?
He has written several books (e.g. Jerusalem Countdown is the latest). Perhaps much of that income came from the sale of his books?
And...you are judging this man?
How unliberal and intolerant of you!
And...you have chosen to change the subject and just attack the messenger rather than address the message of the post?
How typically liberal and predictable of you!
And...do I see a hint of jealousy about his monetary success in this life?
How envious of you!
And...lastly...are you going to even be in the "sniff test" group?
How unfortunately indecisive of you...
Hi Christine,
I'm looking at this post now at 5:35am and I'm wondering what I was hoping to achieve.
If I look back at my posts over the last week or so I think I have started to become annoyed. Much to my dismay I am less of a Christian after contributing to these discussions than I was before.
My faith in Christ is about love. Without love I am a clanging gong.
I think your religion is a lonely one. It seems to delight in pointing out the flaws of others. At times you seem to revel in the downfall of sinners.
I know I am not perfect. I know I am a sinner. It is impossible to live without being a sinner as always anything we do is sin.
Is it any surprise to you that I get annoyed by hypocrisy? I know I'm a sinner. I don't need someone who is so obviously a sinner as well reminding me I'm a sinner.
Let's look at Pastor Hagee.
Charitable giving: He rakes in huge amounts of donations which he passes on but then pays himself a huge salary. I guess the rewards of Christ are instant.
Liberals judge all the time. You are the one who thinks that we don't. One thing that offends us more than anything is corruption. Ironic isn't it? Considering you believe we are corrupting God's Word. We also really dislike hypocrisy. Think of the liberal rage over Ted Haggard.
Am I jealous of his monetary success? I'd be less than human to say I wouldn't mind more money. It's the fact that he has such huge monetary success that bothers me. I'm all for people succeeding. But when you start to pay yourself millions of dollars from donations of the faithful - it starts to smell. Those figures are just what he makes from TV evangelism. I don't know what he makes from his books.
Christine - I don't know if I am saved. I've been baptised. I accepted Christ into my life. I try to live a good life and for the most part I succeed. Do I live a good life judged by the standards of Christ? I doubt it. It's not really possible for us to meet his standards. Does that mean I give up?
It actually amazes me that I still believe. The Bible is a terrible book. God comes across as capricious and evil. And yet, there are those passages of hope and love.
I believe in a God of compassion and mercy. If he wants to condemn me to eternal suffering - so be it.
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This is a bit of a ramble but so be it.
Ebsfwan,
This is the first time (if I recall correctly) that you have revealed (to me) that you are a Christian. I apologize, if you have said it before and I just happened to have missed it.
All types of people visit this blog. If a post irritates you, then maybe you should examine why?
What you said here (mostly, the bold parts) concerns me a bit:
" Christine - I don't know if I am saved. I've been baptised. I accepted Christ into my life. I try to live a good life and for the most part I succeed. Do I live a good life judged by the standards of Christ? I doubt it. It's not really possible for us to meet his standards. Does that mean I give up?
It actually amazes me that I still believe. The Bible is a terrible book. God comes across as capricious and evil. And yet, there are those passages of hope and love.
As Christian believers, we are told:
Rom 8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
My post here was designed to point out that our efforts, as Christians, to live "holy and righteous in this age" and our desire to please Christ when he said, "if you love me, then keep my Commandments" are an outward sign of our salvation, love and commitment to Him.
Yes! No one is perfect. I have never claimed to be! My sins have "found me out" many times in my life. Perhaps I need to say that in more of my posts so that people do not get the wrong impression. I am a sinner just like everyone else!
Resisting the sins today and doing good for the kingdom while here on earth doesn't save us (which I think I made clear in the two posts), but doing so will be rewarded when we get to heaven.
I want my Savior to say to me:
Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
You said, "I believe in a God of compassion and mercy."
As you should! But also we need to recognize that He is the Righteous Judge. This, IMHO, is where some churches today lack the facts of revealing God's entire character. As Pastor Hagee stated (paraphrased here):
'to not believe that God is a Righteous Judge and need not judge sin, is calling God a liar in His Bible.'
Christ died for our sins! To leave that part out of the "mercy and grace" equation is truly a false kind of gospel.
You also said, "If he wants to condemn me to eternal suffering - so be it."
Not possible since you are already a Christian! If, by chance, you are not sure of your salvation, please visit this page.
You can be absolutely sure of your salvation! God's Word promises this!
If I have been a cause of grief to you in your walk with Christ then I deeply apologize. It appeared to me that you were still trying to decide about your answer to Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?"
Disbelief is an entirely different thing than "doubt."
In John 20 we see Christ's compassion in his encounter with (doubting)Thomas. The thrilling verse in that exchange is this:
Jhn 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.
The second thrilling verse is:
Jhn 20:31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Hi Christine,
Thanks for engaging in this dialogue.
I am not a very certain Christian. I have massive doubts.
I do not see the Bible as the literal word of God as it is too full of inconsistencies and hate crimes typical of ancient times. I cannot reconcile a God of Love with the genocide that prevails through much of the Old Testament. To me that is the leadership of the time trying to justify their actions - much like the leaders of the world during the times of the Crusades.
However, I do see the Bible as divinely inspired. Most parts of the Gospels are amazing and fill me with divine grace when I read them.
I am a Christian. Even though I doubt I think I always will be. They got me young and that kind of belief is ingrained.
I am very much a doubting Thomas. That is the way God made me. So I will continue to ask questions of you. But take them in the spirit I intend, which is honest inquiry.
My aim is definitely NOT to convince you or anyone else that Christianity is wrong. I am glad you are totally convinced of the truth of things. Let's continue our chats in a spirit of friendly debate.
Alright...enough of this wallowing in self-indulgence. Back to battle. :)
You said: "As Pastor Hagee stated (paraphrased here):
'to not believe that God is a Righteous Judge and need not judge sin, is calling God a liar in His Bible.'"
God himself admits to having lied:
1KI 22:23, 2CH 18:22, JE 4:10, JE 20:7, EZ 14:9
He has deceived his prophets.
Let's look at these one by one.
1Ki 22:23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
David Guzik commentary:
6. (19-23) Micaiah reveals the inspiration behind the 400 prophets.
Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”
a. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by: King Ahab and others at the court found it hard to explain how one prophet could be right and 400 prophets could be wrong. Here Micaiah explained the message of the 400 prophets. It is possible that this was just a parable, but it is more likely that Micaiah had an accurate prophetic glimpse into the heavenly drama behind these events.
b. On His right hand and on His left: Since the right hand was the place of favor, this may indicate that God spoke to the combined host of heaven, both faithful and fallen angelic beings.
i. Some people forget that Satan and his fellow fallen angels have access to heaven (Job 1:6, Revelation 12:10). There is a well-intentioned but mistaken teaching that God can allow no evil in His presence, meaning that Satan and other fallen angels could not be in His presence. These passages show that God can allow evil in His presence, though He can have no fellowship with evil and one day all evil will be removed from His presence (Revelation 20:14-15).
c. Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead? God wanted to bring judgment against Ahab, so He asked this group of the host of heaven for a volunteer to lead Ahab into battle.
d. I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets: Apparently, one of the fallen angels volunteered for this task. Since Ahab wanted to be deceived, God would give him what He wanted, using a willing fallen angel who worked through willing unfaithful prophets.
i. “It is rather a personified spirit of prophecy (Zechariah 13:2; 1 John 4:6), for even the false prophets may be governed by supernatural or spiritual forces rather than merely human reason. It represents the power of a lie in the mouth of someone opposed to the truth and speaking for his own ends.” (Wiseman)
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2 Chronicles 18:22 - Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
Matthew Henry commentary:
4. Of the power of Satan, by the divine permission, in the children of disobedience. One lying spirit can make 400 lying prophets and make use of them to deceive Ahab, v. 21. The devil becomes a murderer by being a liar and destroys men by deceiving them. 5. Of the justice of God in giving those up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, who will not receive the love of the truth, but rebel against it, v. 21. Let the lying spirit prevail to entice those to their ruin that will not be persuaded to their duty and happiness. 6. Of the hard case of faithful ministers, whose lot it has often been to be hated, and persecuted, and ill-treated, for being true to their God and just and kind to the souls of men. Micaiah, for discharging a good conscience, was buffeted, imprisoned, and condemned to the bread and water of affliction. But he could with assurance appeal to the issue, as all those may do who are persecuted for their faithfulness
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Jer 4:10 ¶ Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
Fausett, Jamieson and Brown commentary;
10. thou hast . . . deceived--God, having even the false prophets in His hands, is here said to do that which for inscrutable purposes He permits them to do ( Exd 9:12 2Th 2:11 ; compare Jer 8:15 ; which passage shows that the dupes of error were self-prepared for it, and that God's predestination did not destroy their moral freedom as voluntary agents). The false prophets foretold "peace," and the Jews believed them; God overruled this to His purposes ( Jer 5:12 14:13 Eze 14:9 ).
soul--rather, "reacheth to the life."
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Jer 20:7 ¶ O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.
Jamieson Fausett and Brown commentary:
7. Jeremiah's complaint, not unlike that of Job, breathing somewhat of human infirmity in consequence of his imprisonment. Thou didst promise never to give me up to the will of mine enemies, and yet Thou hast done so. But Jeremiah misunderstood God's promise, which was not that he should have nothing to suffer, but that God would deliver him out of sufferings ( Jer 1:19 ).
deceived--Others translate as Margin, "Thou hast enticed" or "persuaded me," namely, to undertake the prophetic office, "and I was persuaded," that is, suffered myself to be persuaded to undertake what I find too hard for me. So the Hebrew word is used in a good sense ( Gen 9:27 , Margin; Pro 25:15 Hsa 2:14 ).
stronger than I--Thou whose strength I could not resist hast laid this burden on me, and hast prevailed (hast made me prophesy, in spite of my reluctance) ( Jer 1:5-7 ); yet, when I exercise my office, I am treated with derision ( Lam 3:14 ).
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Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Jamieson, Fausett and Brown commentary:
9. I the Lord have deceived that prophet--not directly, but through Satan and his ministers; not merely permissively, but by overruling their evil to serve the purposes of His righteous judgment, to be a touchstone to separate the precious from the vile, and to "prove" His people ( Deu 13:3 1Ki 22:23 Jer 4:10 2Th 2:11, 12 ). Evil comes not from God, though God overrules it to serve His will ( Job 12:16 Jam 1:3 ). This declaration of God is intended to answer their objection, "Jeremiah and Ezekiel are but two opposed to the many prophets who announce 'peace to us." "Nay, deceive not yourselves, those prophets of yours are deluding you, and I permit them to do so as a righteous judgment on your wilful blindness."
Wow...that last one sounds a lot like the deception going on in churches today that do not heed the warnings of the book of Jude and are involved in heresy and apostasy!
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