Thank you for such a thoughtful reply. There is room for prodigals in God's "house" should they take God up on the repentance He extends to us and return to Him in humbleness, sincerity, and sorrow for having sinned against Him. And, yes, I agree, sin is a deadly thing, always. It deeply offends God and always harms the sinner in many ways. In the righteousness of Christ and a life of godliness we can know what true freedom is. It is certainly not the so-called freedom many feel sin affords them. In truth, it is bondage in the worst way.
Part.1) 1 Pet.1:7 That the (trial) of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be (tried) with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. The word (trial) is #1383; it means a testing, trustworthiness, trying, test, proof. The word (tried) is #1381; it means to test, by implying to approve, discern, examine, try. This verse is clear when taken in context that our faith will be tested, when will it be tested? This verse says that it might be found unto praise and honour and glory (AT THE APPEARING OF JESUS CHRIST) So our faith will be tested just before the Lord Jesus Christ appears! 1 Pet.4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the (fiery) trail which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: (13. But rejoice as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be gad also with exceeding joy. The word (fiery) is #4451; it means calamity as a test. This verse says the fiery trial that is to try us will be a calamity as a test! Ps.11:4-5 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORDS throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids (try) the children of men. (5. The LORD (trieth) the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. The words (try) and (trieth) have the same meaning, #974; they mean to test, to investigate, examine, prove, try, trial. We are clearly tried, or tested before the appearing of Jesus Christ. When does Jesus Christ appear? Mt.24:29-31 Immediately (AFTER the tribulation) of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken, (30. And then ((shall appear)) the sign of the So of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Here He appears)
I have not been much of a servant for Jesus. In my heart, I've always known he is real, but death and judgement seemed far away, and in my mind, I didn't believe 100% anyway, so its been easy just to forget about Him and do what I want. I didn't commit any terrible crimes according to man's law, but definitely have sinned according to God's.
In these crazy times, I should have been deceived the same way millions of others have been, but it's no contest. I've been able to see the truth, and the lies, for what they are the whole time. It's like my eyelids are taped open and I can't help but see the truth.
The only explanation is that Jesus granted me this undeserved insight, and must have done so for a reason. I just don't know what to do next.
It's a scary time for all of us, and I want to leave darkness for good and live in the light of God. I just don't know what to do next. I know to read the Word and to pray, but it feels like I should do more. Maybe I need help finding the right scriptures to study; how to learn more about God's plan for me from here for dummies.
What does 2 Peter 2:4 means? If God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be remembered unto judgment; mean?
I usually do not reply to ay comment made on this website. I just read your comment and it pricked my heart. Jerry, yes we have an option to walk away from God and every gift he has given us. We can trodden under foot the son of God.
I want to make one thing very clear. God is not willing that any should perish. Yes, to fall away is a terrible thing and the punishment is great and if we stay in that state the punishment will be everlasting. The fruit that sin provides leaves a long trail that only God can mend, but my friend ease realize we have an advocate who loves us dearly.
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
I also want you to realize, we all need to realize that sin is not something we need to take lightly. Society today has put sin in such a light where some sin is not so bad, but when you put any sin before such a Holy God we can begin to realize how sick sin really is.
My friend you have a God who loves the backslider. If you come to him and repent My God will forgive you. Come to him in a true heart and he will forgive you. A lie of this world will tell you that if you were saved you're always saved that is hells longest standing lie. "ye shall not surely die" if you sin there is wages and that is death, but the gifts of God are eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord.
I was once a back slider and God was good and gracious to me. He found it fit so save this sinner boy. Now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I have many scars, but Gods Grace is sufficient. Now I am here today preaching the Gospel. If he can save me. He can save you. I am not ashamed of this Gospel, it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
And I totally agree. Sin leads to death. We cannot do anything about that sin. And there is always 1specific sin that leads to death. Romans 6.23 And the whole chapter. What we have to do is run out and talk about Jesus to all creation.
John 7:17 and John 7:38
Ephesians 6:13-20
I thank God that I will not sin. My body of sin, we've got a lawyer on It's Jesus Himself. Stay strong in His word an u will always get free. In His word the truth are.
God bless us all with wisdom and understanding in His time. Amen. Love u all in Christ.
True, U4YAH, 'Rapture' is never mentioned in the Bible. The Greek word used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is 'harpazo', which means 'to seize, to snatch away'. And we see the word & its application in Scriptures such as Acts 8:39 (of Philip); 2 Corinthians 12:2 (of Paul); & Revelation 12:5 (of Christ). The translators obviously described these events as taken from the Greek word for it, of a physical removing from one place to another.
Probably in an attempt to apply a more anglicized word to describe it (rather than 'harpazo'), the word 'Rapture' was used in more recent times, from the Latin, 'rapio'. If someone takes offense to using 'rapture', since the word is not found in the Bible, my suggestion has always been, 'then don't use it'. What's more important, is that we understand why this 'snatching away' was mentioned in the Bible & why it is used of believers in Paul's discourse.
I was sad to read your last statement: "Yes I hope and pray in the name of Jahshua that I survive the last hour of temptation in my life to be saved." Your faith in Christ Jesus is a living & active faith (or, should be) - the Spirit in you will continue to abide in you, dealing with all sin, & securing you till the day of completed redemption. Even John assures his readers in 1 John 5:13: "that ye may KNOW that ye HAVE eternal life". This is a present knowledge & not a fearful hope of the future. The Spirit will guarantee that you will endure to the end. I earnestly hope you can reconcile these things in your heart & life.
A very telling verse is Romans 10:9: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." In this chapter the apostle writes about the weakness & finality of the Old Law & the righteousness of the Law that becomes us by the working of the Spirit ( Romans 10:4). If re-birth occurs at the resurrection or later, then there is no Holy Spirit given to indwell believers - it can't be as we're still unregenerate. If no Holy Spirit, we are then subject to the Law or laws we wish to obey, to obtain our righteousness. The Jews tried to obey the Commandments - they failed - the Law was given to show them their sin & need of a Savior ( Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:19).
Every other religion of the world teaches that man has to do his best to please his god, & even after all that, there's no certainty of a 'happy future'. I know this more certainly of Islam, where a Muslim can never know if God has been pleased with his life. He might have all the boxes ticked in accepting & applying the six Articles of his faith & five Pillars of Islam, even going on Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), but that dreaded angel overlooking his left shoulder weighing up his bad deeds, being more than the good ones weighed over the other shoulder. The concerned Muslim must dread the day of his death because he doesn't know which way his path to eternity will go. Now is that any different from the Christian who says that only at death can there be any certainty? We might have the worth of Jesus' Sacrifice & the true justice of God in our minds, but have we done enough, obeyed enough, to know an abundant entrance. The message of the Cross is one that's wholly based on God's Grace through Faith in Christ's Work & nothing of our efforts. For if we applied our works, even obedience to the Laws, to guarantee acceptability, then it is no more of Grace, but of our efforts ( Romans 11:6). See Page 3.
To this I would agree U4YAH, that some, maybe many, are led to Christ, reciting the "sinners prayer", told that their salvation is secure & then left to their own devices. Maybe nothing of the Spirit's regeneration Work, of holy living, of Satan's wily ways, of staying in the Word & prayer & of Christian fellowship, would be shared. It is: "you are saved brother/sister - press on in the joy of the Lord". What change, if any, took place in that confessing sinner? What teaching, including water baptism, was given in follow up & nurturing? We are accountable to not only how we treat God's Word, but also how we apply it & share it, even to sinners seeking salvation.
Which leads me to an important matter that we differ on. I believe that the regeneration work (or, re-birth) done in the believer is a present Work of the Holy Spirit. It can't be a re-birth if we haven't died first (Nicodemus was thinking this way that he had to die & be born again from the womb), nor can it be a re-birth at the time of the body's resurrection or entrance into Glory; it's too late, the decision for Christ & being sealed by the Holy Spirit ( Ephesians 1:13,14) has to be made while breath is still in the body - no repentance nor re-birth after death - only a heavenly reception or certain judgement ( Hebrews 9:27).
If a person is truly saved & regenerated by the Holy Spirit, he will know it. And I'm not talking about the grass looking greener or the birds singing more sweetly, it is the new life, new power, new hope, new confidence, & most of all, an absolute pure devotion to the Lord Who did it all & paid it all for him. Can such a person then desire to fool around with sin, doubt his salvation, or even entertain other gods of this world in his life? Even if he is tempted to do so, wouldn't the Spirit within check him immediately that he should go no further - & if he disobeys, then a stronger measure taken? See Page 2.
You could well be correct, U4YAH. Even though others have given a Thursday crucifixion as the correct day. In any case, the answer to DC730bank's question is Sunday, as the Day of Christ's Resurrection.
Philadelphia is written in "The Book of the Revelations of Jahshua the Messiah".
Rev 3:7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God,which isnew Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: andI will write upon himmy new name.13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
As for the thoughts on "fly away", (The Rapture) it is (Ecclesiastes nothing new under the sun. What once was is that which shall be done.
( Ezekiel 13:18-24) God was wroth that false prophets denied his word of destruction and were preaching safety from death by flying away alive. They preached comfort instead of truth. They preached a "Fly away doctrine".
Subsequently the word Rapture is not written in any Bible that I know of anywhere.
I don't think that the Messiah said that he would be dead for three days, but didn't he say that he will be in the grave, the belly of the Earth for three days?
From 3 until sunset, the deadline which had to be met, the rich man had time to plead for the body of Jahshua to let him be put in a grave plot that he owned and have the Messiah inside the sepulchre just moments before sunset.
The word of God is perfect, yo the point and infinitely accurate. When he prophesied to be in the grave, (the belly of the Earth), his prophesy of himself must come true exactly as he spoke it.
It can't be... a part of one day, then all of the next day and part of the next day, well thats almost three days, it is close enough. He said as it was for Jonah, three days AND three nights.
We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses of those who have gone before us. This should encourage us greatly especially knowing that so many suffered persecution and martyrdom. We know that God will make us strong when facing "giants" and evil works of those who wish to do away with us. But God is in control. We should always remember this, because the Israelites forgot this again and again; God was patient and long suffering towards them, but we should not be as those who "shrink back", but be ready to press on and into whatever God has set before us, as the Israelites were being prepard to do.
The Levites were to be in charge of the tabernacle: all of its furnishings, all of the ceremonial duties, protection of the tabernacle. They were to encamp around the tabernacle to safeguard the other Israelites. They had this job for a lifetime.
We, too, are princes and priests at once. So, not only are we to be numbered among those who "take the kingdom" as the Israelites were to take the land promise; we are to do what God asks of us to advance bring the Gospel to those who need it, war in prayer for those who need it, teach those who are new to the faith the content of our faith and practice, nurture believers onward to maturity, and fight the good fight of faith. As priests, we have the privilege of sitting at the feet of Jesus (our tabernacle) adoring Him and serving Him in worship, praise, and living by the Spirit.
The Israelites were told to take all the land that God had promised to them. They were to drive out the of the peoples, destroy them in battle and in the streets: men, women, and children. These heathen peoples were to have no place in that which God had promised to His chosen elect children. In the same way, no wicked, unbelieving rebel against God will have any place in what He has promised those He has chosen to live with Him eternally. God fought for the Israelites. He fought for all of us on the cross at Calvary. He won the victory for the Israelites, and He has won the victory for us who believe.
The Israelites were to war with the heathen of the land of promise; we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with all of the evil powers: Satan and the other fallen angels. God has given us spiritual armor to fight this spiritual battle. But just as He gave victory over victory over the heathen to the Israelites, He gives the same kind of victory to overcome ever spiritual battle we face.
God asked that the Israelites be numbered. This must have encouraged them when they realized how large their army was.
Numbers Chapter 1-WE ARE NUMBERED AMONG GOD'S CHOSEN ELECT CHILDREN
In this first chapter God asks Moses and Aaron to take a census of the Israelites to determine the population of battle-aged men.
This was in the beginning of the second year since leaving Egypt. They had left Egypt on the day of Passover in the first month of Abib. So, this would be one year later plus one month. In our calendar it would be April. God chose the leaders from each tribe who would be as a prince or representative of their tribe. The total of battle-aged men was 603,000. So, if you include Levites, women and children under 20 (which they most likely had many from each family) there was perhaps 3 million people or more.
They had gone into Egypt 70 in total, and now have left a great multitude as God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
When Jesus left the increase of the church to the apostles after He ascended, there were the 12 and at least 500 disciples (As Paul says that Jesus appeared to 500 all at once after He resurrected). After Peter began preaching after Pentecost, the church was added to by 1000's at a time. Through the work of the apostles over their lifetime, the number of believers multiplied quickly, just as God multiplied the Israelites. And in the centuries since Pentecost, million upon millions have been added to the church through faith.
The SEED of Abraham (Jesus) produced a people of God (all believers from the beginning of the world up until the last Gentile is saved along with the remnant of Israel, is more numerous than the natural descendants of Abraham. When the last person to be saved comes to Christ by the working of God, then Jesus will return, and the peoples of the world who have died will be resurrected, and all of mankind will be judged. Then the saints will receive their eternal inheritance and the wicked unbelievers will receive eternal punishment.
The Bible declaresthe wages of sin is death. Every time we sin we are judged by the law of God and sentenced to the penalty / wages which is eternal destruction.
If we have become save by God's mercy, it is because God chose us before the foundation of the world and has paid that penalty, those wages, for us as our substitute for every dirty rotten sin that we have ever committed or ever will commit, as our savior. Therefore we no longer stand guilty before God in any way whatsoever.
For those whom God saves, He at some point in our life applies that salvation to us by giving us our Resurrected Soul, the first Resurrection, becoming Born Again. So if we die physically before Christ returns, we go to be with Christ in heaven in our soul existence.
When Christ returns on the Last Day with all His saints that have gone before, our bodies will be resurrected a glorified spiritual body. If we are still alive physically, we will be changed into our glorified spiritual body, in the twinkling of an eye. We are then a complete personality, body and soul, and will live and reign with Christ eternally in the New Heaven and New Earth where sin will never again raise its ugly head. This is the inheritance that we receive because Christ died for us and we were named in that will before this earth was ever created by Him.
So what must we do to be saved? There is nothing that we can do. Just like there was nothing that Lazarus could do to raise himself from the dead. Christ must do 100% of the work.
But we can, and are in fact commanded, to crybto God for his mercy in the hope that He might save us. Just like the Ninevites of Jonah, chapter 3. And God promises that a broken and a contrite heart He will not despise.
In coming to truth, we cannot isolate certain verses from the Bible while ignoring others that bear on the question. I and others have quoted several that do not fit with what you are saying.
Regarding losing our salvationthe Bible clearly teaches that when God saves someone they have been given Eternal Life. This is because we have been given a Resurrected Soul when God saved us. Life that can be lost is not Eternal.
Secondly God does not save someone BECAUSE they believe. Believing is a WORK. And the Bible is crystal clear that we are not saved by our works on any way. A saved individual BELIEVES on the Lord Jesus Christ with a faith that has been GIVEN to them by God. Remember that the devil believes that Jesus is the Christ but that is certainly not the faith of salvation. A saved individual will endure to the end only because he has a faith that has been given to him by God Himself.
In summary, we need to be very careful about the gospel we are following. If we are trusting in a gospel that involves some work that we need to do in order to become saved or remain saved that gospel cannot save.
Additionally, if we are following a gospel that takes away from or adds to the words of the Bible, that gospel cannot save. Rev 22:18, 19. In other words, the Bible alone and in its entirety must be our only authority for the gospel we are following.
Romans 6, Paul challenges the Christians in Rome to NOT continue in sin, that they should be dead to sin. This chapter and book is talking to Christians. No where does it say that everyone who hates or rejects Jesus are saved. So, if someone hasn't chosen to follow Christ then by definition they haven't died to their old self or sin. This supports the point the previous person made.
Jesus said narrow is the way that leads to heaven - most won't find it.
Thank you for such a thoughtful reply. There is room for prodigals in God's "house" should they take God up on the repentance He extends to us and return to Him in humbleness, sincerity, and sorrow for having sinned against Him. And, yes, I agree, sin is a deadly thing, always. It deeply offends God and always harms the sinner in many ways. In the righteousness of Christ and a life of godliness we can know what true freedom is. It is certainly not the so-called freedom many feel sin affords them. In truth, it is bondage in the worst way.
I hope to hear more from you.
In these crazy times, I should have been deceived the same way millions of others have been, but it's no contest. I've been able to see the truth, and the lies, for what they are the whole time. It's like my eyelids are taped open and I can't help but see the truth.
The only explanation is that Jesus granted me this undeserved insight, and must have done so for a reason. I just don't know what to do next.
It's a scary time for all of us, and I want to leave darkness for good and live in the light of God. I just don't know what to do next. I know to read the Word and to pray, but it feels like I should do more. Maybe I need help finding the right scriptures to study; how to learn more about God's plan for me from here for dummies.
Any suggestions?
I want to make one thing very clear. God is not willing that any should perish. Yes, to fall away is a terrible thing and the punishment is great and if we stay in that state the punishment will be everlasting. The fruit that sin provides leaves a long trail that only God can mend, but my friend ease realize we have an advocate who loves us dearly.
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
I also want you to realize, we all need to realize that sin is not something we need to take lightly. Society today has put sin in such a light where some sin is not so bad, but when you put any sin before such a Holy God we can begin to realize how sick sin really is.
My friend you have a God who loves the backslider. If you come to him and repent My God will forgive you. Come to him in a true heart and he will forgive you. A lie of this world will tell you that if you were saved you're always saved that is hells longest standing lie. "ye shall not surely die" if you sin there is wages and that is death, but the gifts of God are eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord.
I was once a back slider and God was good and gracious to me. He found it fit so save this sinner boy. Now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I have many scars, but Gods Grace is sufficient. Now I am here today preaching the Gospel. If he can save me. He can save you. I am not ashamed of this Gospel, it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
What does it mean to have clean hands and a pure heart... and who has not lifted up his soul to vanity could someone elaborate on that for me ?
John 7:17 and John 7:38
Ephesians 6:13-20
I thank God that I will not sin. My body of sin, we've got a lawyer on It's Jesus Himself. Stay strong in His word an u will always get free. In His word the truth are.
God bless us all with wisdom and understanding in His time. Amen. Love u all in Christ.
Probably in an attempt to apply a more anglicized word to describe it (rather than 'harpazo'), the word 'Rapture' was used in more recent times, from the Latin, 'rapio'. If someone takes offense to using 'rapture', since the word is not found in the Bible, my suggestion has always been, 'then don't use it'. What's more important, is that we understand why this 'snatching away' was mentioned in the Bible & why it is used of believers in Paul's discourse.
I was sad to read your last statement: "Yes I hope and pray in the name of Jahshua that I survive the last hour of temptation in my life to be saved." Your faith in Christ Jesus is a living & active faith (or, should be) - the Spirit in you will continue to abide in you, dealing with all sin, & securing you till the day of completed redemption. Even John assures his readers in 1 John 5:13: "that ye may KNOW that ye HAVE eternal life". This is a present knowledge & not a fearful hope of the future. The Spirit will guarantee that you will endure to the end. I earnestly hope you can reconcile these things in your heart & life.
A very telling verse is Romans 10:9: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." In this chapter the apostle writes about the weakness & finality of the Old Law & the righteousness of the Law that becomes us by the working of the Spirit ( Romans 10:4). If re-birth occurs at the resurrection or later, then there is no Holy Spirit given to indwell believers - it can't be as we're still unregenerate. If no Holy Spirit, we are then subject to the Law or laws we wish to obey, to obtain our righteousness. The Jews tried to obey the Commandments - they failed - the Law was given to show them their sin & need of a Savior ( Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:19).
Every other religion of the world teaches that man has to do his best to please his god, & even after all that, there's no certainty of a 'happy future'. I know this more certainly of Islam, where a Muslim can never know if God has been pleased with his life. He might have all the boxes ticked in accepting & applying the six Articles of his faith & five Pillars of Islam, even going on Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), but that dreaded angel overlooking his left shoulder weighing up his bad deeds, being more than the good ones weighed over the other shoulder. The concerned Muslim must dread the day of his death because he doesn't know which way his path to eternity will go. Now is that any different from the Christian who says that only at death can there be any certainty? We might have the worth of Jesus' Sacrifice & the true justice of God in our minds, but have we done enough, obeyed enough, to know an abundant entrance. The message of the Cross is one that's wholly based on God's Grace through Faith in Christ's Work & nothing of our efforts. For if we applied our works, even obedience to the Laws, to guarantee acceptability, then it is no more of Grace, but of our efforts ( Romans 11:6). See Page 3.
To this I would agree U4YAH, that some, maybe many, are led to Christ, reciting the "sinners prayer", told that their salvation is secure & then left to their own devices. Maybe nothing of the Spirit's regeneration Work, of holy living, of Satan's wily ways, of staying in the Word & prayer & of Christian fellowship, would be shared. It is: "you are saved brother/sister - press on in the joy of the Lord". What change, if any, took place in that confessing sinner? What teaching, including water baptism, was given in follow up & nurturing? We are accountable to not only how we treat God's Word, but also how we apply it & share it, even to sinners seeking salvation.
Which leads me to an important matter that we differ on. I believe that the regeneration work (or, re-birth) done in the believer is a present Work of the Holy Spirit. It can't be a re-birth if we haven't died first (Nicodemus was thinking this way that he had to die & be born again from the womb), nor can it be a re-birth at the time of the body's resurrection or entrance into Glory; it's too late, the decision for Christ & being sealed by the Holy Spirit ( Ephesians 1:13,14) has to be made while breath is still in the body - no repentance nor re-birth after death - only a heavenly reception or certain judgement ( Hebrews 9:27).
If a person is truly saved & regenerated by the Holy Spirit, he will know it. And I'm not talking about the grass looking greener or the birds singing more sweetly, it is the new life, new power, new hope, new confidence, & most of all, an absolute pure devotion to the Lord Who did it all & paid it all for him. Can such a person then desire to fool around with sin, doubt his salvation, or even entertain other gods of this world in his life? Even if he is tempted to do so, wouldn't the Spirit within check him immediately that he should go no further - & if he disobeys, then a stronger measure taken? See Page 2.
Rev 3:7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God,which isnew Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: andI will write upon himmy new name.13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
( Ezekiel 13:18-24) God was wroth that false prophets denied his word of destruction and were preaching safety from death by flying away alive. They preached comfort instead of truth. They preached a "Fly away doctrine".
Subsequently the word Rapture is not written in any Bible that I know of anywhere.
From 3 until sunset, the deadline which had to be met, the rich man had time to plead for the body of Jahshua to let him be put in a grave plot that he owned and have the Messiah inside the sepulchre just moments before sunset.
The word of God is perfect, yo the point and infinitely accurate. When he prophesied to be in the grave, (the belly of the Earth), his prophesy of himself must come true exactly as he spoke it.
It can't be... a part of one day, then all of the next day and part of the next day, well thats almost three days, it is close enough. He said as it was for Jonah, three days AND three nights.
3 complete days. That is what the scriptures say.
We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses of those who have gone before us. This should encourage us greatly especially knowing that so many suffered persecution and martyrdom. We know that God will make us strong when facing "giants" and evil works of those who wish to do away with us. But God is in control. We should always remember this, because the Israelites forgot this again and again; God was patient and long suffering towards them, but we should not be as those who "shrink back", but be ready to press on and into whatever God has set before us, as the Israelites were being prepard to do.
The Levites were to be in charge of the tabernacle: all of its furnishings, all of the ceremonial duties, protection of the tabernacle. They were to encamp around the tabernacle to safeguard the other Israelites. They had this job for a lifetime.
We, too, are princes and priests at once. So, not only are we to be numbered among those who "take the kingdom" as the Israelites were to take the land promise; we are to do what God asks of us to advance bring the Gospel to those who need it, war in prayer for those who need it, teach those who are new to the faith the content of our faith and practice, nurture believers onward to maturity, and fight the good fight of faith. As priests, we have the privilege of sitting at the feet of Jesus (our tabernacle) adoring Him and serving Him in worship, praise, and living by the Spirit.
The Israelites were told to take all the land that God had promised to them. They were to drive out the of the peoples, destroy them in battle and in the streets: men, women, and children. These heathen peoples were to have no place in that which God had promised to His chosen elect children. In the same way, no wicked, unbelieving rebel against God will have any place in what He has promised those He has chosen to live with Him eternally. God fought for the Israelites. He fought for all of us on the cross at Calvary. He won the victory for the Israelites, and He has won the victory for us who believe.
The Israelites were to war with the heathen of the land of promise; we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with all of the evil powers: Satan and the other fallen angels. God has given us spiritual armor to fight this spiritual battle. But just as He gave victory over victory over the heathen to the Israelites, He gives the same kind of victory to overcome ever spiritual battle we face.
God asked that the Israelites be numbered. This must have encouraged them when they realized how large their army was.
Continued...
In this first chapter God asks Moses and Aaron to take a census of the Israelites to determine the population of battle-aged men.
This was in the beginning of the second year since leaving Egypt. They had left Egypt on the day of Passover in the first month of Abib. So, this would be one year later plus one month. In our calendar it would be April. God chose the leaders from each tribe who would be as a prince or representative of their tribe. The total of battle-aged men was 603,000. So, if you include Levites, women and children under 20 (which they most likely had many from each family) there was perhaps 3 million people or more.
They had gone into Egypt 70 in total, and now have left a great multitude as God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
When Jesus left the increase of the church to the apostles after He ascended, there were the 12 and at least 500 disciples (As Paul says that Jesus appeared to 500 all at once after He resurrected). After Peter began preaching after Pentecost, the church was added to by 1000's at a time. Through the work of the apostles over their lifetime, the number of believers multiplied quickly, just as God multiplied the Israelites. And in the centuries since Pentecost, million upon millions have been added to the church through faith.
The SEED of Abraham (Jesus) produced a people of God (all believers from the beginning of the world up until the last Gentile is saved along with the remnant of Israel, is more numerous than the natural descendants of Abraham. When the last person to be saved comes to Christ by the working of God, then Jesus will return, and the peoples of the world who have died will be resurrected, and all of mankind will be judged. Then the saints will receive their eternal inheritance and the wicked unbelievers will receive eternal punishment.
continued....
If we have become save by God's mercy, it is because God chose us before the foundation of the world and has paid that penalty, those wages, for us as our substitute for every dirty rotten sin that we have ever committed or ever will commit, as our savior. Therefore we no longer stand guilty before God in any way whatsoever.
For those whom God saves, He at some point in our life applies that salvation to us by giving us our Resurrected Soul, the first Resurrection, becoming Born Again. So if we die physically before Christ returns, we go to be with Christ in heaven in our soul existence.
When Christ returns on the Last Day with all His saints that have gone before, our bodies will be resurrected a glorified spiritual body. If we are still alive physically, we will be changed into our glorified spiritual body, in the twinkling of an eye. We are then a complete personality, body and soul, and will live and reign with Christ eternally in the New Heaven and New Earth where sin will never again raise its ugly head. This is the inheritance that we receive because Christ died for us and we were named in that will before this earth was ever created by Him.
So what must we do to be saved? There is nothing that we can do. Just like there was nothing that Lazarus could do to raise himself from the dead. Christ must do 100% of the work.
But we can, and are in fact commanded, to crybto God for his mercy in the hope that He might save us. Just like the Ninevites of Jonah, chapter 3. And God promises that a broken and a contrite heart He will not despise.
Praise God for so great salvation!
In coming to truth, we cannot isolate certain verses from the Bible while ignoring others that bear on the question. I and others have quoted several that do not fit with what you are saying.
Regarding losing our salvationthe Bible clearly teaches that when God saves someone they have been given Eternal Life. This is because we have been given a Resurrected Soul when God saved us. Life that can be lost is not Eternal.
Secondly God does not save someone BECAUSE they believe. Believing is a WORK. And the Bible is crystal clear that we are not saved by our works on any way. A saved individual BELIEVES on the Lord Jesus Christ with a faith that has been GIVEN to them by God. Remember that the devil believes that Jesus is the Christ but that is certainly not the faith of salvation. A saved individual will endure to the end only because he has a faith that has been given to him by God Himself.
In summary, we need to be very careful about the gospel we are following. If we are trusting in a gospel that involves some work that we need to do in order to become saved or remain saved that gospel cannot save.
Additionally, if we are following a gospel that takes away from or adds to the words of the Bible, that gospel cannot save. Rev 22:18, 19. In other words, the Bible alone and in its entirety must be our only authority for the gospel we are following.
Jesus said narrow is the way that leads to heaven - most won't find it.
pneuma = spirit
pneumatos = of the spirit