Salvation: The free gift IS NOT AS the offence

I’ve written on this before, but I find it so fascinating (and so often overlooked) I thought I would do so again since I felt like writing tonight.

Rom 5:1-21

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from {out of – for upon whom does the wrath of God abide?} wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

We HAVE BEEN justified! (by His blood)

We HAVE BEEN reconciled to God! (by His death)

We HAVE RECEIVED the atonement!

(Not when we “believed” but “while we were yet sinners”.)

Therefore, we SHALL BE SAVE! (by His life)

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

Are you paying attention? By ONE MAN sin entered the world. And by ONE MAN the gift of grace abounds. Notice, though, that the free gift (and it is FREE!) IS NOT “as the offence”.

Why not?

Because death passed onto all men because ALL HAVE SINNED.

The “one man” through whom sin entered, resulting in death, was “Adam” who, though he is “a figure of him who was to come”, represents ALL MANKIND.

This is “the natural man”, of whom there are MANY.

Many died in sin because MANY (ALL, save ONE) SINNED.

But this is NOT the case when it comes to justification.

Men are not justified by their own righteousness!

We are “imputed” with THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE!

It is by THE OBEDIENCE OF ONE MAN that MANY OFFENCES have been JUSTIFIED.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

God is SOOOO GOOD!!!

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one {the first/natural man of whom there are MANY}; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ{who was made a life-giving spirit, the ONE SPIRIT into whom ALL MEN have been gathered/baptized}.)

Though it is ONE MAN (ADAM) vs ONE MAN (CHRIST), it is a MANY to ONE relationship. The first/natural man who is “of the earth” and of whom there are MANY and the second/spiritual man who is “the Lord from heaven and whom there is ONE.

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Just as judgment came upon ALL MEN, so did the free gift!

19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The same MANY who were “made sinners” by the disobedience of ONE MAN (ALL, BUT ONE) were “made righteous” by the obedience of ONE MAN (NONE, BUT ONE)

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.


Some will say that, though the gift is “free”, it is only ‘freely given’; it must be ‘accepted’ in order to be “received”. So let us look at this word “received” in verse 11. It is the Greek word “lambanō” and it means “to take” or “get a hold of”.

G2983

λαμβάνω

lambanō

lam-ban'-o

A prolonged form of a primary verb, which is used only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively [probably objective or active, to get hold of; whereas G1209 is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while G138 is more violent, to seize or remove]): - accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).

More importantly, it does not mean “to be offered” in the sense that it is something that one must “accept”

G1209

δέχομαι

dechomai

dekh'-om-ahee

Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive (in various applications, literally or figuratively): - accept, receive, take. Compare G2983.

We have not been “offered” katallagē (atonement, restoration, reconciliation), we have, indeed, received it. Not by our own efforts or our own obedience, but by the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we “enter in” (to the knowledge of this truth) and are “saved” BY FAITH!

Do you have faith enough to enter into THE PROMISED LAND?

COME! Partake of THE TREE OF LIFE which is in the midst of THE PARADISE OF GOD!

WALK IN THE NEWNESS OF LIFE!!

He was made sin, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him!!

Therefore, BE YE RECONCILED TO GOD!!


2Co 5:14-21

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Praise the Lord!!

All Blessings in Christ,
Christine

THOUGH NONE GO WITH ME

The more and more I study the scriptures the less and less I find myself looking for Christ to set up a physical kingdom on this earth.  But the more and more I read the writings of other Christians, even those who claim to have “come out of Babylon”, the more I see of this same looking forward to a physical kingdom, a kingdom to be set up on this earth, in which the spiritually mature (“the elect”) will come forth in “the first resurrection” and “rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years”.

How is it that those of us who know that the Jews did not recognize their Messiah because they were looking for an earthly king to rule over an earthly kingdom, who believe that Jesus Christ IS THE MESSIAH and that HE IS, even now, RULING AS KING over a SPIRITUAL Kingdom (WITHIN)… are (not unlike the Jews, but very much like them) still looking for a physical kingdom to be established on this earth, just as are the Jews?

I have read the wonderful writings of so many brothers and sisters in Christ who believe, as I do, in the salvation of all men and nearly every one of them is looking for a physical kingdom in which to rule and reign with Christ during “the millennium”. They look forward to coming forth in “the first resurrection” and speak of the judgment which is to follow “the second resurrection” at the end of “the millennium” – though they are not counting the resurrection of Jesus when it comes to “the first resurrection” and nowhere in the entirety of scripture can one find the words “the second resurrection”. Not that I do not understand, as I was once looking for the same. But no more!

There is so much that I see differently now from when I first came to believe in the salvation of all men that I have to ask myself: “What makes me think that I am the one who is seeing these things correctly, especially when so many others are in agreement and I am in the minority?” But then I, like they, are also in the minority when it comes to believing God for the salvation “of the world” and not just for a small or limited portion of it. So what does truth have to do with the number of people who might (or might not) believe something? Especially when “many are called but few are chosen” and “few there be that find” the straight gate and the narrow way that leads to life?

So while I may think that those who disagree with me have not gone “far enough” to understand spiritual truths, they might think I have gone “too far” and am looking at things “too spiritually”. And, indeed, I am not unfamiliar with the accusation. I have even been accused of “Gnosticism” – though I do not know what it is they think I have in common with the Gnostics.

Truly, even those accused of “heresy” themselves by Orthodoxy can be quick to throw that same accusation around themselves when they come up against those with whom they disagree, even their fellow Unorthodox Christians. I guess you can be “too Unorthodox!!” And though I suppose you can be (anything is possible), how does one go about reconciling the differences that they have with others while still being true to the Lord? For we ALL believe as we do because we believe that our beliefs are founded in the Truth, don’t we? I sure hope so!!

Granted, there are some who rely on the teaching of others rather than searching these things out for themselves, but what happens when that is not the case at all? What happens when we think we have “left Babylon” only to find ourselves disagreeing with others, who claim to have done the same, over different things? Not just arguing over the doctrine of “eternal torment” but over what and where the Kingdom of God is? What (or Who) the resurrection of the dead is? Even over the number of resurrections there will be? Over what is meant to be understood “spiritually” and what is meant to be taken “literally”? How do we deal with all of these differences… when we are all claiming to be “spiritually minded” and we all believe that we are hearing from the Lord and being lead by the Spirit?

Surely we cannot deny that the Lord will answer a prophet according to the many idols of his heart and even send us strong delusion that we might believe a lie, but the existence of those differences do not, in and of themselves, prove “strong delusion” or even the existence of “idols”, do they? And even if they do how are we to know “who is the one with the idol(s)”?

We can also not deny that many claiming to hear from Lord or to have a word from the Lord have not actually heard from the Lord at all. So how are we to know the difference, except by the power of the Holy Spirit? And once we have heard from the Lord do we not recognize His voice and know when He is speaking and when He is not? Perhaps not always, but I do believe that the more we hear from the Lord the better we are able to discern His voice and differentiate it from all other voices. We may also know when He is being silent and we are being required to “wait in the Lord”. Let us then wait!

But how then should we handle our differences? If I feel the Lord is telling me one thing and someone else feels the Lord is telling them something different, what am I to do? What should any of us do?  Should we doubt them? Should we doubt ourselves? Perhaps we are both wrong, all wrong? And what if we are the only one standing on the side of the argument on which we stand! Then what?

Some may think that the answer to this question is easy… if you are the only one who sees something – or if very few others see as you do – it is most likely you who is not standing in the truth. But, while I think that is certainly possible, I don’t necessarily think that it is always going to be the case. And should we not being willing to stand on the truth, even if we stand alone? For, if we are standing on the Truth are we ever really standing alone?

Are you willing to stand up for what you believe, even if your only witness is Him who cannot be seen standing with you? I am!

That being said, my initial answer to my question was actually going to be: “This is a hard question to answer.” But as soon as I typed those words I knew they were not true; that, for me, there could be only one answer: “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” And as soon as those words came to me I immediately thought of the title of a movie that I saw some time back: “Though none go with me”.

I knew of the hymn but thought it was base on a passage of scripture (and maybe it is) but I could not find it. But in searching for it, I came across this blog. It mentions not only the movie but the book on which the movie was based. It contains a brief excerpt from the book and it is worth reading – even as the blog itself is worth reading. As it is so true… that we do not always know what we are getting ourselves into when we pray for a deeper relationship with the Lord. Nor do we know how or when He will answer that prayer or what it might mean to us in the way of our suffering with Christ… nor that it might mean that we will have to say: “Though none go with me, still I will follow!”

So while I venture to always have an open mind, I know that neither I nor any of us will ever be convinced of an error apart from the Lord revealing that error to us. And I’d rather stand firm in an error that I believe is the truth, something that came from the Lord, than to go around always doubting myself or being unsure of what I believe or what I should believe or why. I have seen people like that and I think that must be what it means to be “lukewarm”.

So while I will ALWAYS recognize that “I could be wrong” (as I have been wrong about MANY things in the past and do not claim to now have “all truth” just because I have let those “many” things go) I will also ALWAYS place my trust in God rather than man. And unless or until God tells me that I am seeing amiss and opens my eyes and ears to a new/different understanding, I am going to stand firm in that which I currently believe. (And this correction may come though other men, so please no one think I am saying otherwise…. I have gotten many a revelation through the body of Christ… and sometimes the person through whom it comes doesn’t even know it and can’t even see it themselves, but still it is given – because it comes from God through the Spirit.)

I don’t believe that God shines the Light of Truth on us all at once. How could He? How could we survive that? That is why we must grow and mature… starting out as babes, seeking the sincere milk of the word… until we are able to partake of solid food… and eventually the meat that has been prepared for us… which is provided “in due season”.

So, to those who might not see things as I do, I say: Let’s not let our differences cause us to forget that we are all a part of the same body, the body of Christ. Let us not allow our differences to cause division in the body. Let not the eye say to the hand “I have no need of you”.  Let us always remember that we should not be “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is”.

Let us continue to “reason together” until “we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

All Blessings in Christ!

THE HEAD OF EVERY MAN IS CHRIST

Most of us may recognize the title of this study from Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth, but how many of us actually pay enough attention to “the order” of the words that we actually understand what Paul was saying?

Let’s check it out:

1Co 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Most do not seem to notice that Paul does not “order” the words in such a way as to say that proper “headship” begins with women at the bottom and ends with God on top, putting God over Christ, Christ over men and men over women. NO!

Paul says, here, that “the head” of EVERY MAN is CHRIST; and “the head” of THE WOMAN (singular) is THE MAN (singular); and “the head” of CHRIST is GOD.

Many will use this passage of scripture to keep women in a subordinate position to men in the church, even use it to subordinate wives to their own husbands in the family unit. But this was never Paul’s intention. It is about CHRIST (THE MAN) and THE CHURCH (THE WOMAN, a MANY-MEMBERED BODY).

Paul made this clear in his letter to the church at Ephesus, though that is another passage that is used, incorrectly, to subordinate women – even with their own husbands.

Eph 5:17-33 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Brothers and sisters, can we not see that we are to “submit to one another” (v21), that Paul is, here, using the husband/wife relationship to teach us about “Christ and the church” (v32)? And he is not advocating that women/wives are to be subordinate to or considered in anyway inferior to men or even their own husbands?

Paul is oftentimes used to subordinate women to men, even wives to their own husbands. Despite the fact that Paul commends several women throughout his epistles, referring to them as “co-laborers” and even “deacons” people read Paul’s words to Timothy about not suffering a woman to teach, nor usurp authority over the man, that they just run with it, drawing all of the wrong conclusions, thinking that Adam and Eve are being used to support the subordination of the wife to the husband rather than realize that Adam and Eve (the husband/wife relationship) were understood (and used) by Paul as figures of “Christ and the church”, which is why Paul says of “Eve”: “Notwithstanding SHE shall be saved in childbearing IF THEY continue in faith”.

1Ti 2:11-15 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, when it comes to “the church”, to “the body of Christ”, we all (every one of us, regardless of gender) are part of “EVE” (“a woman”). We are not THE HEAD, the head IS CHRIST. And Christ is the head OF EVERY MAN.

The “woman” that Paul suffers “not to teach” is not “a woman” after a carnal truth, but after a spiritual one, that has nothing to do with how we see people “after the flesh”. We are to know no man after the flesh. (2 Cor 5:16)

A “woman” is the spiritual equivalent to “a child”, even “a babe”. Paul is, here, talking about those who are spiritually immature, those who have yet to be “delivered of the child” who are, themselves, still in need of one to teach them.

Heb 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Jesus spoke of these same things himself when he told his disciples (all male) that they would be as “a woman” whose hour has come “to be delivered of the child”.

Joh 16:19-28 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

Paul speaks of his own “travail in birth”:

1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Something that he went through “again” with others whom he referred to as “my little children”, as he waited for Christ to be formed in them:

Gal 4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

You see, brothers and sisters, it is all about “Christ in you”. That is “the hope of glory”. And it is not until we have been “delivered of the child” by having Christ formed in us that we are able to teach others. For until that time comes the word of God cannot come “out of” us. It can come “unto” us only. And until that time comes Paul says: “Let your women keep silence in the churches” (for God is not the author of confusion):

1Co 14:33-40  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.

We are “to learn” in silence and all subjection; we are not to be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

2Ti 3:1-7 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Paul is not subordinating women to men. These “women” are not “women” according to the flesh. Scripture says that when the Lord pours out His Spirit: “your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” and prophesy is for the edification of the church. And Paul said: “… ye may ALL prophesy one by one…”
The Lord likens the spiritually immature to “babes” to “children” to “women”:

Isa 3:4-5,12 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable…. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

And it is ‘these’ to whom Paul refers.

So, then, let ~YOUR WOMEN~ keep silence in the churches for it is not permitted ~UNTO THEM~ to speak.  :o)

ALL FLESH is commanded to be SILENT!

Zec 2:13  Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

The only one who should be speaking IN THE CHURCH is ~THE MAN~ who is ~THE HEAD~ which is Jesus Christ.

The head of EVERY MAN (the many-membered body of Christ) is CHRIST; the head of THE WOMAN (the church) is THE MAN (Christ) and the head of CHRIST is GOD.

This was sort of a revisit to my “Was Paul a misogynist?” study, but I thought it was worth going over again and bringing in 1 Cor  11:3 which I did not discuss as part of that study.

All Blessings in Christ!
Christine

HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US

According to scriptures, Jesus was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

How was Jesus “made sin” for us? Was it because “forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same”? (Heb 2:14) Was it because he was “made of a woman”? (Gal 4:4)

Or was it because He was put to death by being hanged on a tree?

Mat 27:35  And they crucified him, ….

Because “he that is hanged is accursed of God”:

Deu 21:22-23 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God); that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Paul refers to this in his letter to the Galatians:

Gal 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

By being hanged on a tree, Jesus became cursed under the law. He also became “guilty of all”:

Jam 2:10  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.

He that knew no sin was “made sin” for us “that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. By His stripes we are healed. (1 Pet 2:24) “Christ hath redeemed us from the law, being made a curse for us”.  He “abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain (Jew and Gentile) one new man, so making peace”. (Eph 2:13-22) That “they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and rose again”:

2Co 5:15-21 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

All Blessings in Christ,
Christine

The Second Coming of Christ

I’ve been hearing lots of talk lately about “the second coming” of Christ.

Some believe that this is a second physical manifestation of Christ on earth that has yet to take place. 

Others seem to believe that this second coming was fulfilled in 70AD at the time of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. 

So I thought I would just throw together a few passages of scripture that I believe address Christ’s coming “the second time” but seem, to me, to show that neither of the above is the case, but that the Lord IS, WAS and IS TO COME; that salvation takes place from WITHIN, not from without; for CHRIST IN YOU is the hope of glory.

Col 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is CHIRST IN YOU, the hope of glory:

Christ comes “the second time” UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM:

Heb 9:28
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM ((shall he appear)) THE SECOND TIME ((without sin unto salvation)).

How does He come? As “another comforter”, even THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH:

Joh 14:16-20

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS: I WILL COME TO YOU. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. AT THAT DAY YE SHALL KNOW that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I IN YOU.

And it is WHEN HE IS COME that THE WORLD IS REPROVED of sin, of righteousness and of judgment:

Joh 16:7-16

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And WHEN HE IS COME, HE WILL REPROVE THE WORLD OF SIN, and OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and OF JUDGMENT: Of sin, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT ON ME; Of righteousness, BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER, AND YE SEE ME NO MORE; Of judgment, BECAUSE THE PRINCE OF THIS WORD IS JUDGED. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit WHEN HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH, IS COME, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify ME: for he shall receive OF MINE, and shall shew it unto you. ALL THINGS THAT THE FATHER HATH ARE MINE: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and YE SHALL SEE ME, because I go to the Father.

 

He came first to dwell WITH MEN… now He comes to dwell IN MEN. 

I don’t see that limited to a single event that took place in 70AD, though I can see what happened in 70AD to the temple in Jerusalem and the people of that city as a physical manifestation of the spiritual truth that it points to / reveals – the destruction or tearing down of that which is natural/physical/seen so that all that remains is THE TRUTH, that which is SPIRITUAL / UNSEEN. 

Nor do I see it as a second physical appearance of Christ on earth that has yet to take place.

I see it as the manifestation of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Christ WITHIN US, as CHIRST is formed IN THEM THAT BELIEVE. It is the manifestation of THE SONS OF GOD.

It is neither future nor past…. But IS, WAS, and IS TO COME.

Rev 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME, the Almighty.

Bringing LIFE… TO THE DEAD… every man in his own order… (1 Cor 15:22-23)

And though NO MAN KNOWS the day nor the hour, we know perfectly well the times and the seasons… for we know that THAT DAY COMES as a thief IN THE NIGHT.

Mat 24:36
But OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

1Th 5:1-2

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves KNOW PERFECTLY that THE DAY OF THE LORD so cometh AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. 

For HE COMES….. UNTO THEM THAT SLEEP. And those who sleep SLEEP IN THE NIGHT!!

1Th 5:4-10
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

But we are not to be OF THE NIGHT, but OF THE DAY, for Christ gave himself as an offering for us, so that we might be CHILDREN OF THE DAY and CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION. SO let us AWAKE and ARISE FROM THE DEAD, and Christ shall give us light! Let us walk circumspectly, not as fools, but AS WISE, understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Eph 5:1-17

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth); Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

Knowing that the way of LIFE IS ABOVE TO THE WISE, that he may depart from hell beneath:

Pro 15:24
The way of LIFE IS ABOVE TO THE WISE, that he may DEPART FROM HELL BENEATH.

All Blessings in Christ!!

Christine

If there come any unto you and bring not THIS doctrine

I’d like to take a look at 2 John 1:10-11 because I’ve seen it used so many times by Christians as an excuse to dismiss, even disfellowship, other Christians. As soon as they can’t agree on a particular doctrine or its importance they decide it’s time to take out the garbage, so to speak, and they justify it by quoting John:

2Jo 1:10-11 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Then they proceed to cast the person out/aside based on the fact that they disagree with whatever “doctrine” is being discussed at the time. When, if we actually read more than just two verses – ripping them out of context completely- we can see exactly what “this” doctrine is, that we are to bring:

2Jn 1:1-13

1  The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

2  For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

3  Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4  I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

5  And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

12  Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

13  The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

The doctrine of Christ and the commandment that they had heard FROM THE BEGINNING was:

Mat 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

John speaks of these very things in his first epistle, as well:

1Jn 3:14-15 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

1Jn 4:19-21  We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

God forbid any Christian speak of the love or the mercy of God, or even God as love, if they do not also acknowledge the justice, judgment and wrath of God and preach a God that is to be “feared”; to do so is to be seen as being “too lovey dovey” or to be accused of having “no fear of the Lord”.

The problem with this is that fear is the beginning of wisdom, not the end all, as perfect love casts out fear and TRUE JUDGMENT (that we told to EXECUTE) is to SHOW MERCY AND COMPASSION every man to his brother!!

Zec 7:9  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

Let us acknowledge that it was the unmerciful servant (who refused to forgive, as he was forgiven) whom his lord called the "wicked servant" and whom his lord turned over to the tormentors UNTIL he paid all that he owed (to show others the same mercy and forgiveness that was shown to him).

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

All Blessings in Christ!

Christine

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together

When it comes to “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”, what does that mean?

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

So many, even a great many, Christians read this single verse of scripture and claim that the writer of this letter to the Hebrews is talking about the physical gathering together of believers in worship. They accuse those who do not participate in a structured worship service of being in violation of the scriptures and this verse in particular.

Unfortunately, this is what happens when you take one verse of scripture and use it as a “proof text” without reading the whole passage in order to understand its context. Though I am not one to jump up and down yelling and screaming “context, context, context”, let’s at least consider the subject and context of this passage. Is the writer even addressing a physical gathering together of believers in worship? Or is this author trying to tell us not to forsake the fact that we have all been “gathered together” by baptism through one spirit into one body, the body of Christ? Pointing out that it is this “gathering together” of all men into “one body” that some were forsaking?

Let us look at the whole passage and not just one verse. Let us go back not only to the beginning of this chapter but to Chapter 9 which contains another verse of scripture (Heb 9:27) that I believe is often misused and misquoted as a “proof text” by those who want to prove that judgment comes after physical death, rather than “in the earth”  (Pro 11:31), though the passage is not speaking about the deaths of all men, or each man individually, but the death of one man, Jesus Christ, of which it says “and after this the judgment”. And did Jesus not say: “now is the judgment of this world” (John 12:31)? But that is discussed in other blogs, so I will not dwell on that here.

If we look at this entire passage in Hebrews we can see that it is about the one sacrifice that was made for all through the body and blood of Jesus Christ, through which came the propitiation for sin and the reconciliation of the world. It is about “the law having a shadow of good things to come”. It is about the fact that “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” and the fact that “by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified”. It is about taking away the first (covenant) in order to establish the second (covenant).  And didn’t Jesus say: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me”?

How many times have we heard our Christian brothers and sisters, or even said ourselves, that while we are to love our neighbors as ourselves those “neighbors”, unless they are “believers”, are not a part of “the body of Christ”; that the body of Christ is made up of believers only; that all others are outside of “the body” and not a part of the “the church” of Jesus Christ; that only believers have been “gathered together” into this one body, the body of Christ, the church?

Certainly, especially today with all of our church buildings, when we think of “the church” we think of those “believers” who gather together in them; we think of those who identify themselves as “Christian”. In some cases we will even claim that not all Christians are “true Christians” and only “true Christians” are a part of “the body of Christ” or the “true Church”.  But if all men have been gathered together into “one body”, whether bond or free, Jew or Gentiles, male or female, then can there be but ONE BODY? The “one body” into which all men have been “gathered together”?

Let us look at what the scriptures have to say: 

God was in Christ reconciling THE WORLD unto himself, not imputing their (THE WORLD’S) trespasses unto them; (2Co 5:14-21)

Creating ONE NEW MAN (Eph 2:15)

Wherefore henceforth know we NO MAN after the flesh: (2Co 5:16)

For he is our peace, WHO HATH MADE BOTH (Jew and Gentile) ONE, having broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Eph 2:14)

Reconciling BOTH unto God IN ONE BODY by the cross (Eph 2:16)

There is ONE BODY, ONE SPIRIT… ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, who is ABOVE ALL, and THROUGH ALL, and IN YOU ALL. (Eph 4:6)

The body IS ONE… whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free (1 Co 12:12-14)

Christ IS ALL AND IN ALL (Col 3:11)

That is only a small list of all of the verses that could be listed here. Paul was very clear that it was “when we were dead in sins” that God “quickened us together with Christ”, for it is “by grace” that we are saved:

Eph 2:4-9   But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved);  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Paul also clearly tells us that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. And having been baptized into His death we should also walk in the newness of life, knowing the power of His resurrection:

Rom 6:3-8   Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  For he that is dead is freed from sin.  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

For we know that… if we be DEAD WITH HIM, we shall also LIVE WITH HIM!!

You see, even “the dead” are “in Christ”, for “if one died for all, then were all dead”. This is why those who are alive and remain shall not prevent those who sleep, for “the dead in Christ shall rise first”. It can be no other way, for all were dead and Jesus Christ is the resurrection!!  It is “the dead” who are in need of “the resurrection of the dead”. Those who are “alive” have already PASSED from death unto life. They HAVE eternal life (that life that is IN THE SON) abiding in them (Christ in you, the hope of glory). They are “as the angels of God in heaven” and cannot die any more. They know THE POWER of HIS RESURRECTION (= THE FIRST resurrection and blessed and holy is he that hath part in it).  They no longer walk in darkness being children OF THE NIGHT. They are children OF THE DAY, children OF THE RESURRECTION. But, again, that is covered in other blogs so I will not elaborate here.

Yet some will still claim that unless we “believe” or unless we have “accepted the free gift” of salvation that Jesus Christ offers us, then we are not only not a part of His body, having been reconciled to the Father through the Son, we may very well be on that wide road that leads to destruction, to unending torment (or annihilation, depending on their particular flavor of “eternal punishment”).

When it comes to “the body of Christ”, to “the church”, many are quick to claim that while they are a part of it the majority of us are not. They will say they love their neighbors, but they will not see them as or call them their “brothers” (or “sisters”) in Christ.

However, the scriptures clearly tell us that even when it comes to our “neighbors” we are “members one of another”

Eph 4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Therefore:

Heb 10:24-27 … let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

So while that may be “the manner of some”, let us not be counted among them!

Let not the eye say to the hand or the head to the foot: “I have no need of thee”, as there should be “no schism in the body”. Let us remember that it is God who has tempered the body together and it is He who places us in the body, as He sees fit to place us. (1 Cor 12).

Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is!

All Blessings in Christ!
Christine

Lazarus and the rich man: A story of “eternal torment” or “the salvation of the world”?

A lot of people use the story of Lazarus and the rich man to support their belief in hell and eternal torment but the story teaches nothing of the sort. It doesn’t even have anything to do with physical death; therefore, has nothing to do with the “afterlife” and where one might spend it.

I guess the first thing we need to do is establish that the story is, indeed, a parable that is meant to be spiritually discerned, rather than the story of the fate of two literal men after physical death.

Some will say that this is not a parable because it is not introduced as a parable. However, not all parables are explicitly identified as such, not even several of the other parables which Jesus tells in this same text, a series of which begins in Luke 15:3, in which the introduction is made only at the beginning of the first story:

Luke 15:3 And He spoke this parable to them, saying:

There are several stories/parables which follow this introduction in Luke 15:3 and the story of Lazarus and the rich man is only one of them. There is the parable of the Lost Sheep starting at Luke 15:4; there is the parable of the Prodigal Son starting at Luke 15:11; there is the parable of the Unjust Steward starting at Luke 16:1; then after a brief exchange with the Pharisees and Jesus telling them that they are they which justify themselves before men and tells them: “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery” (which many seem to skip over as even being a part of or relevant to the series of stories). Then we come to the story of Lazarus and the rich man at Luke 16:19. Then Jesus speaks of faith as a grain of mustard seed, forgiveness and those who serve a master. He then heads into Jerusalem and heals the ten lepers, etc.

So what about the story of Lazarus and the rich man? What does it mean and how does it fit into the other stories? Let’s start with just a high-level overview:

What do we know about the rich man?

1. He was clothed in purple and fine linen.

2. He has good things in his life.

3. He died and was buried and he found himself “tormented in this flame” while looking up from “hell”.

4. He, looking up from hell, sees Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom.

5. He calls Abraham “Father”.

6. He begs Abraham to send Lazarus to his house to save his five brothers, lest they come unto the same torment.

What do we know about Lazarus?

1. He was laid at the gate, full of sore, desiring to be fed crumbs from the rich man’s table.

2. He has “dogs” licking his sores.

3. He had evil things in his life.

4. He died and was carried into Abraham’s bosom.

So what does all of that mean? Let’s look at the story:

Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Who is this “rich man”?

Others, like L Ray Smith and Bryan T. Huie, who have written on this story as a parable maintain that the rich man represents “Judah” and, therefore, all Israel. The reason being is that the color “purple” is symbolic of royalty and Judah carried the royal line of Israel and “fine linen” is symbolic of the priesthood. Also because Judah had 5 (full) brothers.

I think a good case can be made for that interpretation, but whether or not that evidence is sufficient enough to prove that this “rich man” represents “Judah” and therefore, all Israel, I do believe that this “rich man” represents Israel, or God’s chosen people, to whom Christ was addressing (and deriding) in this series of parables. Even Paul points out that the Jews had “an advantage” in that it was to them that the oracles of God were committed; therefore, “salvation is of the Jews” through “the faith of Abraham”.

Rom 3:1-2 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

So who is Lazarus?

Again, some believe that Lazarus represents Eliezer of Damascus, Abraham’s faithful servant and, as such, represents the Gentiles.

A case can certainly be made for that, but what I see as the main ‘identifier’ in this story of Lazarus are (1) his name, which means “whom God helps” and (2) his relationship to the “dogs” who are also mentioned in the story. This because the “Gentiles” were considered and identified as “dogs” in the scriptures, even by the Lord himself:

Refer to Mark:

Mar 7:24-30 And He arose from there and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered into a house and desired no one to know it. But He could not be hidden. For a woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Him and came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syro-phoenician by race [a Gentile]. And she BEGGED Him that He would cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus said to her, LET THE CHILDREN [the Jews, whom He came to] FIRST BE FILLED. For it is not right to take the children’s loaves [take the ‘bread’ from their table] and to throw it TO THE DOGS [the Gentiles, those not chosen]. And she answered and said to Him, Yes, Lord, yet THE DOGS UNDER THE TABLE eat of the children’s CRUMBS. And He said to her, For this saying go [because of her faith and desire to have any crumbs that might fall from the table], the demon has gone out of your daughter. And when she had come to her house, she found the demon had gone out, and her daughter lay on the couch.

Here, we even see “dogs under the table” begging to eat “the children’s crumbs”. Shall we believe that this is mentioned for nothing?

So, as I see it, this parable depicts Lazarus [the Gentile nations] who is laid at the gate, full of sores, desiring to be fed by the crumbs from the table of the rich man [God’s chosen people].

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luke 16:23 And IN HELL [hades] he lifted up his eyes, BEING IN TORMENTS, and saw Abraham AFAR OFF, and Lazarus in his bosom.

So what happens next is not that Lazarus is fed, or not, but that both men die.

Though both men died, Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom while the rich man was buried and found himself looking up from ‘hell’ [hades] being in torment in a flame and seeing Lazarus, afar off, in the bosom of Abraham.

Luke 16:24 And he cried and said, FATHER Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water AND COOL MY TONGUE, for I am tormented in this flame.

This “rich man” recognizes Abraham and even calls him “father”, further supporting the idea that the rich man in this story represents Israel or the Jews. But what is really worth noting is what it is that this rich man wants cooled. HIS TONGUE!!

What do we know about the tongue?

Jam 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell [gehenna].

Here we see the tongue, a fire, and hell all mentioned together again!!

Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things [the wealth and riches of God; bless of God; God’s chosen], and likewise Lazarus evil things [not chosen of God]. But now he is COMFORTED [having been made a partaker of the commonwealth of Israel] and you are TORMENTED [having been judged unworthy and cast off].

Luke 16:26 And besides all this, there is a great chasm fixed between you and us; so that they desiring to pass from here to you CANNOT, nor can they pass over to us from there.

Here we see that there is “a great chasm” between the rich man and Abraham/Lazarus, one that is “fixed” and cannot be crossed.

Those who use this story to teach the doctrine of eternal torment, see this as a permanent condition for those who end up in hell/hades after death. However, Abraham did not say that this was a permanent condition, only that it was their present condition. Nor does this parable have anything to do with the physical death of any man.

If this story is, indeed, about the Jews and the Gentiles then what is this “great chasm” that is fixed between these two men?

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Israel did not stumble that they should fall, but that salvation could come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy. (Rom 11)

Luke 16:27-28 And he said, I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Luke 16:29 Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. [They have the Words of God through Moses and the prophets, let them hear THEM and listen so that they do not come under the same condemnation.]

Luke 16:30 And he said, No, father Abraham, but if one should go to them from the dead, they would repent.

Luke 16:31 And he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead.

Here we have the rich man asking for Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers so that on the testimony of one who was risen from the dead they might not come into this place of torment. However tells him that “they have Moses and the Prophets” and “of they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead”. And how true those words are!! They are even reminiscent of what Jesus, himself, said to the Jews:

Joh 5:45-47 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

And neither were they persuaded when He rose from the dead!!!

This story is not one of “eternal torment” in hell for the wicked dead. It has nothing to do with the eternal fate of the wicked after they physically die. It is about the gospel and how it was brought to the Jews, wherein it was rejected so that the Gentiles could be grafted in, resulting in “the riches of the world”.

In order for that to happen ALL MEN (both Jew and Gentile) had to be gathered together IN ONE BODY, by being baptized INTO THE DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST (both ‘men’ died)!

The gospel has been given to the Gentiles, who now find themselves in the place of God’s chosen people, in the bosom of Abraham. So it is no longer the Gentiles begging for crumbs [perhaps ‘bread’ crumbs?] from the table of the Jews; but the Jews begging for a drop of water [living water, no doubt] from the Gentiles (spiritually speaking).

And it is not by calling on the name of “father Abraham” that the “great chasm” that is fixed between the two can be bridged. It is BY THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM that we are “carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom:

Mat 8:10-12 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When comparing spiritual things with spiritual, how can we not see that this is exactly what the parable of Lazarus and the rich man is all about? Not about the physical death of two men and what awaits them on the other side of a physical grave in eternity but about the gathering together of two nations, wherein the one that was “afar off” and “without God in the world” is “carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom” and those who were nigh, who rejected their Savior due to the veil of the flesh, have been “cast out of the kingdom”?

Not permanently!!

2Co 3:15-16 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

Turn to the Lord!! Not Abraham! Believe Moses and the prophets who testified of Jesus Christ!! And walk in the same faith that Abraham walked in!

Pro 15:24 THE WAY of LIFE is ABOVE to the wise, that he may DEPART FROM HELL BENEATH.

The Greek word “hades” means “unseen” and those who are “dead and buried” are UNSEEN (because their life IS HID with Christ in God, until he who is there life SHALL APPEAR). They are prisoners of “the body of this death” that is “full of dead’s men’s bones (likened to “a whited sepulcher”) whose THROAT is “an open sepulcher” and whose TONGUE is “set on fire of hell”

There is a spiritual truth to this, as it applies to those who are “dead” after a spiritual truth.

God was in Christ reconciling THE WORLD unto himself, making IN HIMSELF – ONE NEW MAN:

Eph 2:13-18 But NOW IN CHRIST JESUS ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, WHO HATH MADE BOTH ONE, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make IN HIMSELF of twain ONE NEW MAN, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God IN ONE BODY by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we BOTH have access BY ONE SPIRIT unto the Father.

So then it seems reasonable to assume that ALL have been baptized into His death, but not all have been resurrected into His life.

Rom 6:3-8 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we HAVE BEEN planted together in the likeness of his death, we SHALL BE also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we BE DEAD with Christ, we believe that we SHALL ALSO LIVE with him:

We have to remember how the Lord works:

Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, ~AFTERWARD~ destroyed them that believed not.

Which is exactly the way it is reflected in the parables about the kingdom of heaven:

Mat 13:47-50 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. ((So shall it be at the end of the world)): the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

We see it again in the parable of the wedding feast:

Mat 22:8-14 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Jesus seems to indicate a connection or a common theme among “all parables”:

Mar 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

And do we not see those similarities?

The tares and the wheat are growing together until harvest; there is TREASURE HIDDEN in the FIELD; that which is LOST is FOUND; that which is SOWN falls on different ground with different results; laborers are hired to work in the field and they ALL receive the SAME PAY/REWARD no matter what time “of the day” they were hired.

When it comes to THE END OF THE WORLD and THE HARVEST, Christ made it very clear that THE FIELD IS RIPE, ALREADY TO HARVEST and that “in the end of the world” he would send forth his angels TO REAP:

John 4:34-38

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. SAY NOT YE, THERE ARE YET FOUR MONTHS, AND THEN COMETH HARVEST?

BEHOLD, I say unto you, LIFT UP YOU EYES AND LOOK ON THE FIELDS; FOR THEY ARE WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST.

And HE THAT REAPETH receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit UNTO LIFE ETERNAL: that both HE THAT SOWETH AND HE THAT REAPETH may rejoice TOGETHER.

And herein is that saying true, ONE SOWETH, and ANOTHER REAPETH.

I SENT YOU TO REAP

that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and YE ARE ENTERING INTO THEIR LABOURS.

So then THE FIELD IS WHITE, ALREADY TO HARVEST and Christ sent THEM (HIS DISCIPLES; THE ANGELS OF THE LORD) TO REAP to be LABORERS in the field and GATHER FRUIT UNTO LIFE ETERNAL. AMEN!!!!!!

THE REAPERS are THE ANGELS!

All blessings in Christ!

Christine