I'm sorry, but that is not what the Bible is teaching. Please read my last response to Chris's responses.
There can never be forgiveness for sins, any sin, unless that sin is fully paid for in accordance with the Law of God and that payment is Eternal Death. And that requires that Christ Himself must pay for any sin that is to be forgiven.
Forgiveness for sin is part and parcel of Salvation itself. God must then apply that Salvation to the Believer by causing them to become Born Again by God's Grace Alone. And all of that is required for any sin of any person throughout time to be forgiven. And we know from Hebrews and the rest of the Bible that no sacrifice of animals, nor any observance of the Ceremonial Laws, nor any obedience to any Law of God can save us so that our sins can be forgiven.
There is one and only one Salvation for everyone throughout time that God saves. And apart from Salvation there is no forgiveness for sin. God does not have separate Salvation plans for Old Testament Believers and New Testament Believers.
Thank you Jema. And we can consider the other aspect of the sin offering, where the LORD directed Moses in regard to such sacrifices, that for "the sins of the people", two goats were to be provided: one to be sacrificed & the other the scapegoat bearing their sins & iniquities" (Leviticus chapter 16). This is what the LORD required; their perfect fulfilment would be seen in Jesus Who was both the Sacrifice (payment) for our sin and the Scapegoat, upon Him was laid the sins of the people (becoming the sin-bearer) & driven far (casting away our sins, "as far as the East is from the West", Psalm 103:12), and to be remembered no more.
This act might appear to us just as symbolism, awaiting its fulfilment in Christ, yet if there was no merit gained by its performance then (i.e. that sinners were forgiven by their submission & obedience), then the whole system would be a farce, offering a false promise, leaving those eminent ones such as Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, & many others, without any present assurance & hope for eternity. Even though it was "not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (i.e. remove them entirely, but had to be sacrificed yearly), God had instituted this & through it He kept His people covered, shielded from His Wrath & forgave them when they looked to Him & waited upon Him.
I've always understood that what was required of Israel in those days were for their benefit & blessing, yet only giving a foretaste & for a complete revelation found only in Christ & the Gift of His Holy Spirit.
All professors and people consider where you are and from whence you are fallen, you that plead for sin and say none can be set free from sin while they are in the world; you plead for a hold for Satan in you while you are here, and where will you have him cast out, or what fellowship can you have with God so long as the serpent is head in you?1 You are separated from God and knows him not; for what communion hath light with darkness?2 God is light, and he that dwells in God dwells in light, and in him is no darkness at all; but while you live in sin you are in darkness,
and the god of this world hath blinded your eyes that you cannot see it.3 You are led captive at his will to serve him, and you are willing to be so, and you do not believe that ever you shall be otherwise. You are servants to sin, and you take pleasure in it; you are in the flesh and sin, and have made a covenant with hell and darkness and death. You are resolved to serve and please the flesh while you live, and you will repent at your death; you have forgot that your times are in the hand of the Lord, and that this is the day of grace and repentance,4 which you turn into lasciviousness and wantonness. You make it plainly appear you have your lustful pleasures, wantonness and filthiness, and love them more than God. You that love the world and the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in you;5 for whom you love, him will you follow. Christ saith, "If you love me, keep my commands," and those that follow him, he leads them out of all the ways of sin into the ways of purity and holiness; and so he is the way to the Father.6 "For without holiness none can ever see God,7 for he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, neither can any unclean thing come in his sight." But while you are following the prince of the air, which ruleth in the children of disobedience,8 bringing forth fruits of sin and unrighteousness, having your conversation in the earth and earthly things, following your corrupt wills and pleasures, and yet you will profess you love God, and own him in words, and the devil in practice. Oh horrible hypocrisy! shall not the righteous God find you out and reward you according to your works;9 you cannot deceive him. You deceive yourselves who think to be heirs of two kingdoms; you will have the pleasures of sin here, and you say you hope to be heirs of the kingdom of heaven too; but the hope of the hypocrite shall perish
Remember thy father Dives, in whose steps thou walkest, and the same way leads to the same end. The Lord saith that "the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all that forgets God."10 But the deceit in thee says that thou mayst live in sin while thou art here and have thy thoughts in the world, and yet thou shalt enter into the kingdom of heaven too. Now who must be the liar, whether God or thou, O vain man? Was it not sin that separated God and man at the first, and thinkest thou to be reconciled again so long as sin stands in thee? Man was not created in sin, but pure and holy, in the image of God;11 and while he stood here he had communion with God and had the pure wisdom of God by which he was able to see into the wonders of God and to give names unto all creatures.12 But so soon as he had committed sin he was stripped of all this and became naked, and was thrust out of paradise, and was cursed from the Lord; yea the ground was cursed for his sake;13 and all this because of sin which thou thinkest so light of. For odious is sin in the pure eyes of the holy God, and didst thou but know thy condition as thou liest in sin, in thy first birth a child of wrath, and one to whom all the curses in the Book of God are due, thou wouldst tremble at sin and not plead for it, wherein thou plainly showest thyself to be the servant of the devil. And when thou thus abusest the goodness of God, that having left the failings of others upon record as warnings to all that come after not to do the like,14 and these thou makest use of to encourage thee in thy sin and filthiness; and because God is merciful to pardon sinners at what time soever they repent, therefore thou art encouraged to live in sin the longer, unrepented of. Now all that have eyes in their heads may plainly see whose child thou art: for the apostle saith, "Know ye not that the longsuffering of God, and forbearing, leads to repentance";
it doth so to the children of God; but that scripture is fulfilled in thee which saith, "Because judgment is not speedily executed on the wicked, therefore his heart is set in him to do wickedness."16 And thus thou makest the mercy of God a cloak for thy unrighteous actions, and yet thou wilt talk of a redemer and of faith in Christ; but O friend where is thy redeemer witnessed while thou art yet in thy sins? What art thou redeemed from? or what art thou redeemed to? Those that are redeemed are set free from the servitude of sin,17 but thou servest sin so long as thou obeyest the motions of it; then where is thy freedom? Canst thou witness Christ died for thee, and thy sins still alive? How wilt thou witness his death in thee, or thyself dead with him? The saints that were dead with Christ were dead to sin; and (saith Paul), "How can you that are dead to sin live any longer therein?"18 and saith also, "Those that are dead with Christ are free from sin and are become servants of righteousness"; again he saith, "Now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruits unto holiness, and the end thereof eternal life."19 But while thou livest in sin thy fruits are unholy, and the end thereof is death; and then where is thy redemption? They who are redeemed by Christ are redeemed from earth and earthly things, unto God again, from whence they had fallen, out of every tongue, kindred, people and nation, and are made unto God kings and priests, to reign above sin on the earth,20 and are made conformable to his image again, which was lost by sin. But what conformity is there in thee while thou art in sin? Thou art not like him, but like the devil; for every sin is the image of the devil, who sinned from the beginning. And while thou committest sin, thou holdest forth the image of the devil in thee, who is thy father: and Christ told the scribes and Pharisees,
who professed to be the children of God but lived in sin, that they were of their father the devil,21 for his works they would do. For every sin is the work of the devil, and (saith John) "He that commits sin is of the devil," and saith, "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested: to destroy the works of the devil."22 Whosoever can witness Christ manifested in them can witness sin destroyed; but if thou say thou canst witness Christ manifest in thee, and yet commit sin, thou art a liar: for the Scripture saith, "whosoever abideth in him sinneth not; whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him, and whosoever saith he knows him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him."23 And saith the Holy Ghost, "whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not"; and saith again that "whosoever is born of God sinneth not, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God"; and saith plainly, "In this are the children of God manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."24 God in all ages hath known his by their obedience;25 but thou sayest thou mayest live in disobedience and yet be counted one of his too. But where is thy mark by which thou art known from the world? Those that are God's are marked and known from the world,26 but thou art in love with the world and canst conform with them in all their ways, words, works, and worships, and yet would be counted one of God's too.27 O thou deceiver, thou deceivest but thyself and men that are like thee; for thou canst not deceive the Lord. Take heed, repent, halt no longer between God and the world.28 If thou wouldst own God thou must disown the world, and the world will disown thee: thou canst not have both.
Romans 3:10,11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
These verses apply to ALL MANKIND. whether they lived in Old Testament or New Testament times. And for God to forgive any sin of any kind at any time is for that sin to have been paid for. And all of the sacrifices of the Old Testament could never pay the penalty demanded by the Law of God for any sin of any kind at any time.
Forgiveness of sin has everything to do with Salvation itself. Any Old Testament Believer was "saved" just like any New Testament Believer. That is, Christ must have "paid for their sins" and that Salvation must have been applied to them by making them Born Again. And that is ALL the work of God Alone, Grace Alone.
John 3:3,4 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? John 3:9,10 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Nicodemus was an "Old Testament" Jew under the Ceremonial Laws.
So again, Salvation, the forgiveness of sin, any sin of any kind in any time can only be forgiven if we have become Born Again by God's Grace Alone.
The keeping of the Ceremonial Laws, the keeping of any Law of God could never "save" anyone or forgive any sin at any time in history. Abel's sacrifice did not forgive his sins, did not save him. Abel's sacrifice was acceptable to God because God had "saved" him. Cain's offering was not because Gid had not saved him.
This is also my understanding Chris , thank you for explaining it so well . God would not tell the Israelites that their sins would be forgiven by those animal sacrifices if He didn't mean it . He said they would be forgiven so they must have been so . Once Christ appeared and willingly offered himself , then he became the Way the Truth and the Life and forgiveness is now only in him .
Yes David0921, I agree that the OT sacrifices pre-figured the perfect & everlasting Sacrifice by our Lord Jesus, yet it remains, how did God deal with the sin problem under that old sacrificial system?
The verses you shared from Hebrews chapter 10 are important & particularly verse 11, "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins", shows us that those sacrifices could never deal with the sin problem as Jesus only could. They had to be 'offered oftentimes', whereas Jesus' Sacrifice was only offered once, as He, by His Own Sacrifice, fully met God's demands for the sinner's absolution.
Where sins of ignorance (of the Law) were committed, the sinner(s) brought in their sacrificial animal for the priest to perform the sacrifice unto the LORD. We read in Leviticus chapter 4 about this; and after the offering unto the LORD was completed, "...the priest shall make an atonement for his (the person's) sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him": Leviticus 4:35. Who forgives the sinner this sin? Was it the priest or God? So, there must be a forgiveness of sins committed under this system (not the wilful sins of breaking the commandments which required death); but I understand that God's Forgiveness was based on contrition for sin, of offering the sacrifice, & this was both specific & temporary - for the priests had to do this for all sin & each year for the sins of Israel. And all these pointed the people, maybe with limited understanding, to the coming Sacrifice Who would remove such a temporary covering of sin; where the Sacrificed Lamb ever stands before God's Throne and where sinners saved through the Cross simply confessed their sin & were sure of God's continual Forgiveness, based not on what they could possibly do, but all that Christ has done.
This is how I read the Bible interpreting itself: the OT was just as important - where sinners found forgiveness there as well.
Thank you brother Carleton. It's good to see you back on these pages & trust that you have been enjoying the immeasurable blessings of the Lord, the Faithful One.
Yes, "every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man(JESUS) after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
The sacrifice of JESUS has lasted around 730.000 days, and has prevented until now the appearance and manifestation of the man of sin, the son of perdition (an ex-cherub). "Who (will) opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God(will)sitteth in the temple of God(in the great city of Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified),shewing himself that he is God.Paul Apostle said:2 Thes.2:6-12:
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (The time is from now on, in his time)
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let(but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way, that is the sacrifice of JESUS), until he be taken out of the way.(the sacrifice of JESUS will be take away)
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed(a false messiah, AN IMPOSTOR, John 5:43-47 and Revelation 12:11),whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth,and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth(they received not JESUS), that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause GOD shall send them strong delusion,that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth(they believed not in JESUS),but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Will do thanks Pastor Ray, appreciate it very much. If you ever read something I say on here & its wrong biblically, will you please take a min to correct me? Like a verse then can look it up. I pray before responding & believe He is guiding me in my words. Yet, not meaning to upset anyone, I have a rambling problem when I get to going, so at times my words tend to stray off what He may have really wanted me to say.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirt are three titles for one God. Just like my dad, my dad is a father, son, and brother, but, he is one person. It the same way with God.
CONCERNING THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION by Issac Penington
1. That there is no way of being saved from sin, and wrath eternal, but by that Christ alone which died at Jerusalem. There is no name, virtue, life, or power under heaven given, by which lost man may be saved, but his alone.
2. That there is no way of being saved by him, but through receiving him into the heart by a living faith, and having him formed in the heart. Christ saves not as he stands without at the door knocking, but as he is let in; and being let in, he brings in with him that life, power, and mercy, which break down the wall of partition, unite to God, and save. The Jews could not be saved formerly by the belief of a Messiah to come, with the observation of all the laws and ordinances of Moses; nor can any now be saved by the belief of a Christ already come, with observation of all that the apostles commanded or practised; but alone by the receiving of him into the heart, who there works out the salvation.
3. That there is no way of receiving Christ into the heart, and of having him formed there, but by receiving the light of his spirit, in which light he is and dwells. Keep out the light of his spirit, keep out Christ: let in the light of his spirit, let in Christ: for the Father and the Son are light, and are alone known and received in the light; but never out of it.
4. That the way of receiving the light of the Spirit into the heart (and thereby uniting with the Father, and the Son) is by hearkening to, and receiving its convictions of sin there. The first operation of the Spirit towards man lying in the sin, is to convince him of the sin; and he that receives not the convincing light of the Spirit, the work is stopped in him at the very first; and Christ can never come to be formed in him, because that light whereby he should be formed is kept out. And then he may talk of Christ, and practise duties (pray, read, and meditate much), and gather comforts from promises, and run into ordinances, and be exceeding zealous and affectionate in all these, and yet perish in the end. Yea, the devil will let him alone (if not help him) in all this, knowing that he hath him the surer thereby, he being (by the strict observation of these) kept out of the fear of the danger of his condition, which otherwise perhaps he might be made sensible of.
See,what matters and prevails is the Word of GOD.The Word is GOD,self-executing,understand?
1 Thess.4:16KJV reveals:The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,with the voice of the archangel,and with the trump of GOD:and the dead in Christ shall rise first:The archangel has a name:Michael.The Lord Himself shall descend with the voice of archangel.There will be a WAR against the Devil's world in this current time of Apocalypse
Dan.12:1-3:-1 And at that time shall Michael stand up,the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:and there shall be a time of trouble(Matt.24:15-25),such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:and at that time thy people shall be delivered,every one that shall be found written in the book
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,some to everlasting life,and some to shame and everlasting contempt
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever
Rev.11:15-18KJV
15 And the seventh angel(actually an archangel)sounded;and there were(will be)great voices in heaven,saying,The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the kingdoms of our Lord,and of his Christ;and he shall reign for ever and ever
18 And the nations were(will be) angry,and thy wrath(GOD'S WRATH)is come,and the time of the dead,that they should be judged( Daniel 12:3),and that thou should give reward unto thy servants the prophets,and to the saints,and them that fear thy name,small and great;and should DESTROY them which destroy the earth
Dan.12:10-Many shall be purified,and made white,and tried;but the wicked shall do wickedly:and none of the wicked shall understand;but the wise shall understand.11-From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,and the abomination(of desolation)set up,there shall be 1290 days.12-Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to 1335 days.
Paul and Timothy. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
It was written to the Colossians. Colossians was written for the Christians in the city of Colossae. Colossians was also supposed to be read in the church of Laodicea ( Colossians 4:16). Colossians was written at the same time as Philemon. Both were written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. ( Colossians 4:3, 10, 18 and Philemon 9, 10, 13, 23)
Timothy, Aristarchus, Archippus, Mark, Ephaphras, Luke, Onesimus, and Demas all appear in both letters demonstrating Colossians and Philemon were written by the same author at the same time.
III. THE HISTORY OF COLOSSAE:
Colossae was a city of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia About 90 miles east of Ephesus. Colossae was in the Lycus Valley along with Laodicea and Hierapolis. The population of Colossae was mostly Gentile but had a large number of Jewish population.
The church at Colossae began during Paul's three-year ministry at Ephesus (Acts Chapter 19). During this three-year period, Epaphras was saved while visiting Ephesus. The Church at Colossae was established by Epaphras, not Paul ( Colossians 1:5-7).
Several years after the Colossians church was founded, dangerous heresies began to circulate in it. Epaphras was so concerned about these heresies that he made the long journey from Colossae to Rome were Paul was a prisoner ( Colossians 4:12-13).
It was written around 63 A.D. while Paul was under house arrest in Rome for two years, as recorded in Acts 28:16-31. This is his first imprisonment. His second imprisonment was of course in the dungeon, and he was killed right after that time.
Philippians is one of four prison epistles or letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were written by Paul during this time that he was under house arrest in Rome.
We went over Ephesians and now we are in Philippians. All of the books have the same outline. Paul always presented doctrine first, and what we would call application. But I don't like to use the word application because people say that you need to apply the scriptures to your life.
In other words, do them. That's not what the bible means. By application, it is God's Spirit, in light of what Christ has done. It's what God's Spirit wants to do in us. So, I would call them the doctrine and the details because it's the doctrine being presented in the everyday function of life.
VI. DELIVERED BY:
Epaphroditus on his return trip.
VII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS:
CHAPTERS 1-2: The Doctrine of Christian Fellowship.
Of course, our Christian fellowship has a lot of problems with it. That's because we have not looked to the book of Philippians that gives us the doctrine of fellowship and how to solve some of the problems.
CHAPTERS 3-4: The Details of Christian Fellowship.
That is how the doctrine is worked out and lived amongst the believers. Philippians is a fascinating study.
The church in Philippi sent Paul two love offerings for his missionary endeavors in Thessalonica, found in Philippians 4:15-16. Two offerings! In fact, he said nobody else sent for support except for the Christians in Philippi, not once he said, but twice to support the missionary effort.
In 62 A.D., Paul finds himself as a prisoner in Rome. That is in Acts 28:30-31. When the church heard of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, they again sent a love offering to him by way of Epaphroditus. Paul describes him as the pastor (or messenger), the one that gives the messages in Philippi.
So, this is their pastor. And you remember I told you about the mileage? They didn't have airplanes or cars. So Epaphroditus is sent 700 miles with this love offering to help Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome, and to minister to Paul there.
Of course, Epaphroditus, we'll find out later that something happened to him in Rome where he was near death. But God spared him, and Paul sent Epaphroditus back. And when he sent him back to Philippi, he sent the book of Philippians with him.
While in Rome, Epaphroditus became very sick and nearly died. At this time, some 10 years after his original visit to Philippi, Paul wrote the epistle of Philippians. Paul writes to the Philippians both to thank them for their gift and also to report the good news of Epaphroditus' recovery.
IV. THE THEME OF PHILIPPIANS:
Now you will find this to be different than what you will find in most commentaries about the book of Philippians. Most people say that the theme of Philippians is joy. But in reality, the theme of Philippians is fellowship. We saw that Ephesians was our position in Christ. Philippians is our participation in Christ. The focus is on the unity of fellowship.
The church at Philippi was founded during Paul's second missionary journey, recorded in Acts 16:8-12. Paul received a Macedonian Vision while in Troas and crossed the Aegean Sea to preach the gospel first in Philippi. That's found in Acts 16:8-10.
What happened was that on Paul's second missionary journey, he went by land and visited some of the cities that he had established during his first missionary journey. But what he wanted to do was pass those cities, and he wanted to go north and preach the gospel. But he said that Satan hindered him. That's all he said!
So, he decided that it must be a closed door, so I'll go south and preach the gospel, and he said the Holy Spirit hindered him. So, he went straight across and came all the way all the way to the coast of Troas, and he just sat there. I mean how much farther can you go? He's in Troas. He doesn't know what God wants him to do.
And so, while they were in Troas, that's when Paul received what is called the Macedonian vision. That is, a man from Macedonia appeared to him and said come over and preach the gospel to us. At which time Paul went. And as he went over, the first place where he landed, because all the vision said was come over to Macedonia, and so he landed first in Philippi and that's where he preached the gospel first.
In 57 AD, some five years after his first visit, and after his third missionary journey, Paul seems to have visited the church in Philippi twice. That is found in II Corinthians 1:16; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:1-3.
Paul and Timothy. It is written by Paul mainly. But he also signs Timothy on. He has Timothy with him. He has Luke with him. But he says Paul and Timothy are the authors of the letter. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
To the church in Philippi. Philippi became the first European city to receive the gospel.
III. THE HISTORY OF PHILLIPI:
The city of Philippi was founded in 357 BC by Philip II of Macedon who established and founded Philippi. And he is the father of Alexander the Great. Of course, his name being Philip, he named it after himself. Philippi was a city of Macedonia in Northern Greece. It was some 700 miles from Rome and enjoyed full Roman citizenship privileges.
Philippi cooperated so much with the Romans coming in and capturing the land, that Rome turned around and rewarded them by giving them full Roman citizenship and privileges, just like the city of Rome itself.
This is why some of the military from the Roman armies settled in Philippi, because full Roman citizenship and privileges was given to them. It was called "Little Rome" to the people of the day because Philippi was a small version of Rome itself. 700 miles, remember that figure because I'll share something else here in a minute.
Elliux2 Thank you for your comment, sadly many people in this group do not see this as clearly as you and I do. If one does not see this, it makes it truly impossible to see the True timeline in the Lastdays prophecies. It would be like trying to put a puzzle together with pieces that just don't fit, it cannot be done! And it would seem that the pre-tribulation rapture theory is the first piece of that puzzle that does not fit, which causes confusion in other parts of the prophecies. A perfect example of this is all believers in the pre-trib rapture will see ( Mt 24:29-31) as the return of Jesus on a white horse because v29 clearly says "Immediately after the tribulation". They say it has to be the return on a horse because it says ((after the tribulation))
Thats also why pre-trib believers say Mt Ch. 24 is only for the Jews, but ( Mark 13:24-27) tells us the same thing. And the last verse in that chapter is ( Mark 13:37) which says "And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch". This is prophecy for us for the time we are living right now just like ( Mt 24:29-31) is prophecy for us today!
It is very clear that the tribulation is a different and separate event than the wrath of God. Also there are many Bible verses that claim the elect WILL suffer tribulation, but not Gods wrath.
"And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10 KJV
Lord Jesus you know the cries of our hearts and the petitions we have made even here. I continue to ask. Please grant soon breakthrough. I ask for strong protection, deliverance, healing, salvation (those not saved), guidance and all the specific situations and circumstances previously mentioned. Please grant help to all in need on here and everywhere, esp. salvation. Please confront A about her behavior and comfort K. Please heal M. Please also intervene concerning the App Thank you. In your holy name I pray. Amen.
I'm sorry, but that is not what the Bible is teaching. Please read my last response to Chris's responses.
There can never be forgiveness for sins, any sin, unless that sin is fully paid for in accordance with the Law of God and that payment is Eternal Death. And that requires that Christ Himself must pay for any sin that is to be forgiven.
Forgiveness for sin is part and parcel of Salvation itself. God must then apply that Salvation to the Believer by causing them to become Born Again by God's Grace Alone. And all of that is required for any sin of any person throughout time to be forgiven. And we know from Hebrews and the rest of the Bible that no sacrifice of animals, nor any observance of the Ceremonial Laws, nor any obedience to any Law of God can save us so that our sins can be forgiven.
There is one and only one Salvation for everyone throughout time that God saves. And apart from Salvation there is no forgiveness for sin. God does not have separate Salvation plans for Old Testament Believers and New Testament Believers.
This act might appear to us just as symbolism, awaiting its fulfilment in Christ, yet if there was no merit gained by its performance then (i.e. that sinners were forgiven by their submission & obedience), then the whole system would be a farce, offering a false promise, leaving those eminent ones such as Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, & many others, without any present assurance & hope for eternity. Even though it was "not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins" (i.e. remove them entirely, but had to be sacrificed yearly), God had instituted this & through it He kept His people covered, shielded from His Wrath & forgave them when they looked to Him & waited upon Him.
I've always understood that what was required of Israel in those days were for their benefit & blessing, yet only giving a foretaste & for a complete revelation found only in Christ & the Gift of His Holy Spirit.
All professors and people consider where you are and from whence you are fallen, you that plead for sin and say none can be set free from sin while they are in the world; you plead for a hold for Satan in you while you are here, and where will you have him cast out, or what fellowship can you have with God so long as the serpent is head in you?1 You are separated from God and knows him not; for what communion hath light with darkness?2 God is light, and he that dwells in God dwells in light, and in him is no darkness at all; but while you live in sin you are in darkness,
1 of 4
and the god of this world hath blinded your eyes that you cannot see it.3 You are led captive at his will to serve him, and you are willing to be so, and you do not believe that ever you shall be otherwise. You are servants to sin, and you take pleasure in it; you are in the flesh and sin, and have made a covenant with hell and darkness and death. You are resolved to serve and please the flesh while you live, and you will repent at your death; you have forgot that your times are in the hand of the Lord, and that this is the day of grace and repentance,4 which you turn into lasciviousness and wantonness. You make it plainly appear you have your lustful pleasures, wantonness and filthiness, and love them more than God. You that love the world and the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in you;5 for whom you love, him will you follow. Christ saith, "If you love me, keep my commands," and those that follow him, he leads them out of all the ways of sin into the ways of purity and holiness; and so he is the way to the Father.6 "For without holiness none can ever see God,7 for he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, neither can any unclean thing come in his sight." But while you are following the prince of the air, which ruleth in the children of disobedience,8 bringing forth fruits of sin and unrighteousness, having your conversation in the earth and earthly things, following your corrupt wills and pleasures, and yet you will profess you love God, and own him in words, and the devil in practice. Oh horrible hypocrisy! shall not the righteous God find you out and reward you according to your works;9 you cannot deceive him. You deceive yourselves who think to be heirs of two kingdoms; you will have the pleasures of sin here, and you say you hope to be heirs of the kingdom of heaven too; but the hope of the hypocrite shall perish
Remember thy father Dives, in whose steps thou walkest, and the same way leads to the same end. The Lord saith that "the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all that forgets God."10 But the deceit in thee says that thou mayst live in sin while thou art here and have thy thoughts in the world, and yet thou shalt enter into the kingdom of heaven too. Now who must be the liar, whether God or thou, O vain man? Was it not sin that separated God and man at the first, and thinkest thou to be reconciled again so long as sin stands in thee? Man was not created in sin, but pure and holy, in the image of God;11 and while he stood here he had communion with God and had the pure wisdom of God by which he was able to see into the wonders of God and to give names unto all creatures.12 But so soon as he had committed sin he was stripped of all this and became naked, and was thrust out of paradise, and was cursed from the Lord; yea the ground was cursed for his sake;13 and all this because of sin which thou thinkest so light of. For odious is sin in the pure eyes of the holy God, and didst thou but know thy condition as thou liest in sin, in thy first birth a child of wrath, and one to whom all the curses in the Book of God are due, thou wouldst tremble at sin and not plead for it, wherein thou plainly showest thyself to be the servant of the devil. And when thou thus abusest the goodness of God, that having left the failings of others upon record as warnings to all that come after not to do the like,14 and these thou makest use of to encourage thee in thy sin and filthiness; and because God is merciful to pardon sinners at what time soever they repent, therefore thou art encouraged to live in sin the longer, unrepented of. Now all that have eyes in their heads may plainly see whose child thou art: for the apostle saith, "Know ye not that the longsuffering of God, and forbearing, leads to repentance";
it doth so to the children of God; but that scripture is fulfilled in thee which saith, "Because judgment is not speedily executed on the wicked, therefore his heart is set in him to do wickedness."16 And thus thou makest the mercy of God a cloak for thy unrighteous actions, and yet thou wilt talk of a redemer and of faith in Christ; but O friend where is thy redeemer witnessed while thou art yet in thy sins? What art thou redeemed from? or what art thou redeemed to? Those that are redeemed are set free from the servitude of sin,17 but thou servest sin so long as thou obeyest the motions of it; then where is thy freedom? Canst thou witness Christ died for thee, and thy sins still alive? How wilt thou witness his death in thee, or thyself dead with him? The saints that were dead with Christ were dead to sin; and (saith Paul), "How can you that are dead to sin live any longer therein?"18 and saith also, "Those that are dead with Christ are free from sin and are become servants of righteousness"; again he saith, "Now being made free from sin, and become servants of God, ye have your fruits unto holiness, and the end thereof eternal life."19 But while thou livest in sin thy fruits are unholy, and the end thereof is death; and then where is thy redemption? They who are redeemed by Christ are redeemed from earth and earthly things, unto God again, from whence they had fallen, out of every tongue, kindred, people and nation, and are made unto God kings and priests, to reign above sin on the earth,20 and are made conformable to his image again, which was lost by sin. But what conformity is there in thee while thou art in sin? Thou art not like him, but like the devil; for every sin is the image of the devil, who sinned from the beginning. And while thou committest sin, thou holdest forth the image of the devil in thee, who is thy father: and Christ told the scribes and Pharisees,
who professed to be the children of God but lived in sin, that they were of their father the devil,21 for his works they would do. For every sin is the work of the devil, and (saith John) "He that commits sin is of the devil," and saith, "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested: to destroy the works of the devil."22 Whosoever can witness Christ manifested in them can witness sin destroyed; but if thou say thou canst witness Christ manifest in thee, and yet commit sin, thou art a liar: for the Scripture saith, "whosoever abideth in him sinneth not; whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him, and whosoever saith he knows him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him."23 And saith the Holy Ghost, "whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him not"; and saith again that "whosoever is born of God sinneth not, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God"; and saith plainly, "In this are the children of God manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."24 God in all ages hath known his by their obedience;25 but thou sayest thou mayest live in disobedience and yet be counted one of his too. But where is thy mark by which thou art known from the world? Those that are God's are marked and known from the world,26 but thou art in love with the world and canst conform with them in all their ways, words, works, and worships, and yet would be counted one of God's too.27 O thou deceiver, thou deceivest but thyself and men that are like thee; for thou canst not deceive the Lord. Take heed, repent, halt no longer between God and the world.28 If thou wouldst own God thou must disown the world, and the world will disown thee: thou canst not have both.
James Nayler
Romans 3:10,11 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
These verses apply to ALL MANKIND. whether they lived in Old Testament or New Testament times. And for God to forgive any sin of any kind at any time is for that sin to have been paid for. And all of the sacrifices of the Old Testament could never pay the penalty demanded by the Law of God for any sin of any kind at any time.
Forgiveness of sin has everything to do with Salvation itself. Any Old Testament Believer was "saved" just like any New Testament Believer. That is, Christ must have "paid for their sins" and that Salvation must have been applied to them by making them Born Again. And that is ALL the work of God Alone, Grace Alone.
John 3:3,4 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? John 3:9,10 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Nicodemus was an "Old Testament" Jew under the Ceremonial Laws.
So again, Salvation, the forgiveness of sin, any sin of any kind in any time can only be forgiven if we have become Born Again by God's Grace Alone.
The keeping of the Ceremonial Laws, the keeping of any Law of God could never "save" anyone or forgive any sin at any time in history. Abel's sacrifice did not forgive his sins, did not save him. Abel's sacrifice was acceptable to God because God had "saved" him. Cain's offering was not because Gid had not saved him.
The verses you shared from Hebrews chapter 10 are important & particularly verse 11, "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins", shows us that those sacrifices could never deal with the sin problem as Jesus only could. They had to be 'offered oftentimes', whereas Jesus' Sacrifice was only offered once, as He, by His Own Sacrifice, fully met God's demands for the sinner's absolution.
Where sins of ignorance (of the Law) were committed, the sinner(s) brought in their sacrificial animal for the priest to perform the sacrifice unto the LORD. We read in Leviticus chapter 4 about this; and after the offering unto the LORD was completed, "...the priest shall make an atonement for his (the person's) sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him": Leviticus 4:35. Who forgives the sinner this sin? Was it the priest or God? So, there must be a forgiveness of sins committed under this system (not the wilful sins of breaking the commandments which required death); but I understand that God's Forgiveness was based on contrition for sin, of offering the sacrifice, & this was both specific & temporary - for the priests had to do this for all sin & each year for the sins of Israel. And all these pointed the people, maybe with limited understanding, to the coming Sacrifice Who would remove such a temporary covering of sin; where the Sacrificed Lamb ever stands before God's Throne and where sinners saved through the Cross simply confessed their sin & were sure of God's continual Forgiveness, based not on what they could possibly do, but all that Christ has done.
This is how I read the Bible interpreting itself: the OT was just as important - where sinners found forgiveness there as well.
Greetings in Christ JESUS
Yes, "every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man(JESUS) after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
The sacrifice of JESUS has lasted around 730.000 days, and has prevented until now the appearance and manifestation of the man of sin, the son of perdition (an ex-cherub). "Who (will) opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God(will)sitteth in the temple of God(in the great city of Jerusalem where our Lord was crucified),shewing himself that he is God.Paul Apostle said:2 Thes.2:6-12:
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (The time is from now on, in his time)
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let(but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way, that is the sacrifice of JESUS), until he be taken out of the way.(the sacrifice of JESUS will be take away)
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed(a false messiah, AN IMPOSTOR, John 5:43-47 and Revelation 12:11),whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth,and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth(they received not JESUS), that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause GOD shall send them strong delusion,that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth(they believed not in JESUS),but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Get ready,stay in Revelation 11:15-18
GOD bless
It says there is one Lord (God).
Jesus said, " I and my Father are one".
Father, Son, and Holy Spirt are three titles for one God. Just like my dad, my dad is a father, son, and brother, but, he is one person. It the same way with God.
1. That there is no way of being saved from sin, and wrath eternal, but by that Christ alone which died at Jerusalem. There is no name, virtue, life, or power under heaven given, by which lost man may be saved, but his alone.
2. That there is no way of being saved by him, but through receiving him into the heart by a living faith, and having him formed in the heart. Christ saves not as he stands without at the door knocking, but as he is let in; and being let in, he brings in with him that life, power, and mercy, which break down the wall of partition, unite to God, and save. The Jews could not be saved formerly by the belief of a Messiah to come, with the observation of all the laws and ordinances of Moses; nor can any now be saved by the belief of a Christ already come, with observation of all that the apostles commanded or practised; but alone by the receiving of him into the heart, who there works out the salvation.
3. That there is no way of receiving Christ into the heart, and of having him formed there, but by receiving the light of his spirit, in which light he is and dwells. Keep out the light of his spirit, keep out Christ: let in the light of his spirit, let in Christ: for the Father and the Son are light, and are alone known and received in the light; but never out of it.
4. That the way of receiving the light of the Spirit into the heart (and thereby uniting with the Father, and the Son) is by hearkening to, and receiving its convictions of sin there. The first operation of the Spirit towards man lying in the sin, is to convince him of the sin; and he that receives not the convincing light of the Spirit, the work is stopped in him at the very first; and Christ can never come to be formed in him, because that light whereby he should be formed is kept out. And then he may talk of Christ, and practise duties (pray, read, and meditate much), and gather comforts from promises, and run into ordinances, and be exceeding zealous and affectionate in all these, and yet perish in the end. Yea, the devil will let him alone (if not help him) in all this, knowing that he hath him the surer thereby, he being (by the strict observation of these) kept out of the fear of the danger of his condition, which otherwise perhaps he might be made sensible of.
God bless you.
Greetings in Christ JESUS
See,what matters and prevails is the Word of GOD.The Word is GOD,self-executing,understand?
1 Thess.4:16KJV reveals:The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,with the voice of the archangel,and with the trump of GOD:and the dead in Christ shall rise first:The archangel has a name:Michael.The Lord Himself shall descend with the voice of archangel.There will be a WAR against the Devil's world in this current time of Apocalypse
Dan.12:1-3:-1 And at that time shall Michael stand up,the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:and there shall be a time of trouble(Matt.24:15-25),such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:and at that time thy people shall be delivered,every one that shall be found written in the book
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,some to everlasting life,and some to shame and everlasting contempt
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever
Rev.11:15-18KJV
15 And the seventh angel(actually an archangel)sounded;and there were(will be)great voices in heaven,saying,The kingdoms OF THIS WORLD are become the kingdoms of our Lord,and of his Christ;and he shall reign for ever and ever
18 And the nations were(will be) angry,and thy wrath(GOD'S WRATH)is come,and the time of the dead,that they should be judged( Daniel 12:3),and that thou should give reward unto thy servants the prophets,and to the saints,and them that fear thy name,small and great;and should DESTROY them which destroy the earth
Dan.12:10-Many shall be purified,and made white,and tried;but the wicked shall do wickedly:and none of the wicked shall understand;but the wise shall understand.11-From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,and the abomination(of desolation)set up,there shall be 1290 days.12-Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to 1335 days.
IV. THE THEME OF COLOSSIANS:
The Believer's Perfection in Christ. The focus of the book is the completeness of a person who is in Christ.
Colossians was written to combat the many heresies of Jewish Gnosticism.
GNOSTICISM BELIEVED:
God is good.
Physical matter is evil.
Jesus Christ is less than God because He was one of many emanations coming out from God.
A certain secret knowledge beyond Scripture was necessary for enlightenment and salvation.
In the worship of angels.
THE JEWISH LEGALISTS BELIEVED:
The necessity of circumcision for salvation.
Jews and Gentiles must observe the dietary laws of the Old Testament as well as festivals and the Sabbath.
V. DATE/BACKGROUND:
Written around 63 A.D. while Paul was under house arrest in Rome for two years ( Acts 28:16-31).
One of four prison epistles or letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
VI. DELIVERED BY:
Colossians was delivered with Ephesians and Philemon by Tychicus who was accompanied by Onesimus ( Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7-8).
Epaphras remained behind in Rome ( Philemon 23).
VII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS:
CHAPTERS 1-2: The Doctrine of Completeness in Christ
CHAPTERS 3-4: The Duty of Those Complete in Christ
I will share my introduction to 1 Thessalonians soon.
God Bless!!!
I. ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Paul and Timothy. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
It was written to the Colossians. Colossians was written for the Christians in the city of Colossae. Colossians was also supposed to be read in the church of Laodicea ( Colossians 4:16). Colossians was written at the same time as Philemon. Both were written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. ( Colossians 4:3, 10, 18 and Philemon 9, 10, 13, 23)
Timothy, Aristarchus, Archippus, Mark, Ephaphras, Luke, Onesimus, and Demas all appear in both letters demonstrating Colossians and Philemon were written by the same author at the same time.
III. THE HISTORY OF COLOSSAE:
Colossae was a city of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia About 90 miles east of Ephesus. Colossae was in the Lycus Valley along with Laodicea and Hierapolis. The population of Colossae was mostly Gentile but had a large number of Jewish population.
The church at Colossae began during Paul's three-year ministry at Ephesus (Acts Chapter 19). During this three-year period, Epaphras was saved while visiting Ephesus. The Church at Colossae was established by Epaphras, not Paul ( Colossians 1:5-7).
Several years after the Colossians church was founded, dangerous heresies began to circulate in it. Epaphras was so concerned about these heresies that he made the long journey from Colossae to Rome were Paul was a prisoner ( Colossians 4:12-13).
V. DATE/BACKGROUND:
It was written around 63 A.D. while Paul was under house arrest in Rome for two years, as recorded in Acts 28:16-31. This is his first imprisonment. His second imprisonment was of course in the dungeon, and he was killed right after that time.
Philippians is one of four prison epistles or letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were written by Paul during this time that he was under house arrest in Rome.
We went over Ephesians and now we are in Philippians. All of the books have the same outline. Paul always presented doctrine first, and what we would call application. But I don't like to use the word application because people say that you need to apply the scriptures to your life.
In other words, do them. That's not what the bible means. By application, it is God's Spirit, in light of what Christ has done. It's what God's Spirit wants to do in us. So, I would call them the doctrine and the details because it's the doctrine being presented in the everyday function of life.
VI. DELIVERED BY:
Epaphroditus on his return trip.
VII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS:
CHAPTERS 1-2: The Doctrine of Christian Fellowship.
Of course, our Christian fellowship has a lot of problems with it. That's because we have not looked to the book of Philippians that gives us the doctrine of fellowship and how to solve some of the problems.
CHAPTERS 3-4: The Details of Christian Fellowship.
That is how the doctrine is worked out and lived amongst the believers. Philippians is a fascinating study.
I will share the introduction to Colossians next.
The church in Philippi sent Paul two love offerings for his missionary endeavors in Thessalonica, found in Philippians 4:15-16. Two offerings! In fact, he said nobody else sent for support except for the Christians in Philippi, not once he said, but twice to support the missionary effort.
In 62 A.D., Paul finds himself as a prisoner in Rome. That is in Acts 28:30-31. When the church heard of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, they again sent a love offering to him by way of Epaphroditus. Paul describes him as the pastor (or messenger), the one that gives the messages in Philippi.
So, this is their pastor. And you remember I told you about the mileage? They didn't have airplanes or cars. So Epaphroditus is sent 700 miles with this love offering to help Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome, and to minister to Paul there.
Of course, Epaphroditus, we'll find out later that something happened to him in Rome where he was near death. But God spared him, and Paul sent Epaphroditus back. And when he sent him back to Philippi, he sent the book of Philippians with him.
While in Rome, Epaphroditus became very sick and nearly died. At this time, some 10 years after his original visit to Philippi, Paul wrote the epistle of Philippians. Paul writes to the Philippians both to thank them for their gift and also to report the good news of Epaphroditus' recovery.
IV. THE THEME OF PHILIPPIANS:
Now you will find this to be different than what you will find in most commentaries about the book of Philippians. Most people say that the theme of Philippians is joy. But in reality, the theme of Philippians is fellowship. We saw that Ephesians was our position in Christ. Philippians is our participation in Christ. The focus is on the unity of fellowship.
The church at Philippi was founded during Paul's second missionary journey, recorded in Acts 16:8-12. Paul received a Macedonian Vision while in Troas and crossed the Aegean Sea to preach the gospel first in Philippi. That's found in Acts 16:8-10.
What happened was that on Paul's second missionary journey, he went by land and visited some of the cities that he had established during his first missionary journey. But what he wanted to do was pass those cities, and he wanted to go north and preach the gospel. But he said that Satan hindered him. That's all he said!
So, he decided that it must be a closed door, so I'll go south and preach the gospel, and he said the Holy Spirit hindered him. So, he went straight across and came all the way all the way to the coast of Troas, and he just sat there. I mean how much farther can you go? He's in Troas. He doesn't know what God wants him to do.
And so, while they were in Troas, that's when Paul received what is called the Macedonian vision. That is, a man from Macedonia appeared to him and said come over and preach the gospel to us. At which time Paul went. And as he went over, the first place where he landed, because all the vision said was come over to Macedonia, and so he landed first in Philippi and that's where he preached the gospel first.
In 57 AD, some five years after his first visit, and after his third missionary journey, Paul seems to have visited the church in Philippi twice. That is found in II Corinthians 1:16; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:1-3.
I. ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Paul and Timothy. It is written by Paul mainly. But he also signs Timothy on. He has Timothy with him. He has Luke with him. But he says Paul and Timothy are the authors of the letter. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
To the church in Philippi. Philippi became the first European city to receive the gospel.
III. THE HISTORY OF PHILLIPI:
The city of Philippi was founded in 357 BC by Philip II of Macedon who established and founded Philippi. And he is the father of Alexander the Great. Of course, his name being Philip, he named it after himself. Philippi was a city of Macedonia in Northern Greece. It was some 700 miles from Rome and enjoyed full Roman citizenship privileges.
Philippi cooperated so much with the Romans coming in and capturing the land, that Rome turned around and rewarded them by giving them full Roman citizenship and privileges, just like the city of Rome itself.
This is why some of the military from the Roman armies settled in Philippi, because full Roman citizenship and privileges was given to them. It was called "Little Rome" to the people of the day because Philippi was a small version of Rome itself. 700 miles, remember that figure because I'll share something else here in a minute.
Thats also why pre-trib believers say Mt Ch. 24 is only for the Jews, but ( Mark 13:24-27) tells us the same thing. And the last verse in that chapter is ( Mark 13:37) which says "And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch". This is prophecy for us for the time we are living right now just like ( Mt 24:29-31) is prophecy for us today!
Again thank you Elliux2 for your comment.
Blessings to you and all who seek His Truth.
Thank you for the verses and comment!
A beautiful scripture!