Posted on 05/08/2020 4:37:58 PM PDT by pastorbillrandles
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:4-6)
The famous “Faith Chapter” in the book of Hebrews, begins with two Saints, Abel and Enoch as examples of faith which we are to imitate. Faith is the point, for faith is the only way to please God.
I once asked the LORD, ‘Why Faith? Why is that what you require?” I believe I received several answers in the form of scripture and impressions, from the LORD. God requires faith, because we simply cannot save ourselves. Only God can save our souls, no one can redeem themselves, therefore Faith is required, because faith glorifies God and not man.
Another reason for the requirement of faith that came to me, is that our problems began when we quit believing in the goodness of God. Adam and Eve were willing to entertain a false and degraded notion of God, that He was holding something back that would be good for the first couple. The Serpent bore false witness about the LORD, and they believed it.
The way back? It has to be faith. We must repent and believe again in the goodness of God.
The “hall of faith” begins with Abel and Enoch. One Saint who was murdered for his faith, and for bearing witness to God in a hostile world. There would be literally millions upon millions who would follow in his footsteps, being willing to let go of their life rather than deny the truth of God.
The other Saint, Enoch, was a man who lived in a kind of “end times scenario” living in the time leading up to the flood. It was a day of Apostasy, but Enoch walked with God, until God took Him home. He didn’t die , He was raptured. God took him home, to be with himself.
Faith was required of each of them.
I believe that we also live in an end-time. I have no doubt that Jesus is coming, and in our lifetime. What makes us unique is the re-emergence of the nation of Israel, in 1948, in fulfillment of the prophecies about the last of the last days. All of the prophets pre-supposed that there would be a national Israel, and a Jewish occupied city of Jerusalem, as well as a controversy over Judea, (The West bank) which would engulf the whole world.
The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. (Zechariah 12:1-3)
Which brings us back to our two Saints at the beginning of Hebrews 11. One died, He was martyred for his witness to God. The other one did not die. He was Raptured. Both of these Saints lived by Faith and Pleased God.
I believe that this speaks to us in our generation.
No doubt. many of us will end up dying. Perhaps some of us will be given an opportunity to be martyred. We are Saints and love God, but all things being equal, unless the LORD returns, we will die, one way or another.
(Of course, Christians don’t really die, they “go to sleep”) but the real point is that Faith is the only way to please God.
But according to the scriptures, there is a unique end-times event, coming, as I hope I have pointed out in this series, called the Rapture, or “Our gathering together unto Him”, “the Episynagogue” and Jesus coming to “take us where (He)…is, unto himself”. The LORD is coming to snatch us off the earth with a swift and irresistable power”.
To participate in such an event is a rare honor among the countless Millions of Saints who believed in Jesus before us.
But whether we die, or are martyred, o whether we are raptured, the real point is that we must live our lives by Faith,which is the only way to please God.
This is why I do not enter into the countless discussions as to the timing of the Rapture. “Will The Rapture be pre- ,mid , or post Tribulation”?
Honesty, the only things I am sure about the Rapture at all are that it is:
* For God’s Saints only, and the prospect of it is a comfort.
* A Mystery revealed in the New Testament era.
* It occurs before the actual “Wrath ” of God.
* It involves the “dead in Christ” as well as “We who are alive, until the coming of the LORD”.
As far as I know, all else can only be speculation. God doesn’t want us to know the exact timing otherwise it would be clearer. I am glad there is a Rapture, and my prayer has always been that I be involved in it, while alive. But I cannot say with certainty what the timing of it is, so I don’t.
What counts is Faith in Jesus. Not dead works, but a living, vital, infectious faith. Let us have a faith which still moves us to confess and forsake our sins, to Love and seek God. To forgive and love our brothers, and a faith which moves us to share with others what God has shown to us. Is your faith alive? Do you have oil in your lamp? Are you current with God?
We Overcome the World by our faith. “This is the victory that overcometh the World…our faith”. We overcome the Spirit of antiChrist also, by our faith. So also we overcome the sins that so easily beset us, and the Coldness and soul deadening effect of this world, by our Faith.
Of course we want out of here, we can increasingly see that there is nothing in this World for we who believe, but rejection and opposition.I want Jesus to come, and Long for the Rapture. I am either going up in it, or I am gong to die, but one way or another we are leaving.
Either way, the point is Faith. So I will leave the timing of the Rapture to God, and just strive to be counted worthy to attain it, whether ded or alive.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:35)
AMEN!
You nailed it in #178. We are in the last days before The Departure.
Odd that you think being a scoffer is something to admire.
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I don’t think it’s something to “admire” and I don’t consider criticism of misunderstandings of Scripture to be scoffing.
However, it’s strange how frequently you Fundys criticize me for misinterpreting Scripture, but of course that would never be described as scoffing would it?
I thought I had “a good bead on things” when I was younger, but things became more confusing the older I got, especially in our post-9/11 world.
Fortunately, the Bible has “suddenly” become the not so secret decoder ring that make things clear for me.
So, yeah, I now truly can see how human societies are “constructs” floating upon God’s Laws similar to ships upon the sea.
And yes, I can see how our societies and individual selves must conform to His Laws and Principles that govern this world, whether we are aware of them or not, the same as ocean going vessels must conform to the laws of nature and the sea.
No matter how pretty we convince our selves and each other our constructs might be, they either float or they don’t ... in good weather and bad ... and sooner or later every thing in this world needs maintenance.
Sadly, Lincoln was right. You really can fool all of us some of the time and some of us all of the time. Just look at our politics!
And what’s worse, humans can rationalize any want or desire, no matter how heinous or evil.
Again, just look at our politics ... especially what we soon will learn about. It gets worse.
Therefore, to govern our selves and each other, humans need unchangeable standards, principles and references that we have to live up to.
Otherwise, whether we are aware of them or not, we take the “Three Steps to Human Destruction”, as one preacher (Adrian Rogers) calls Romans 1:18-32:
1. Willful self-determinationUsually something sexual gets us into trouble. We can get very self determined about the sex stuff and can quickly become wickedly self-deceived.
2. Wicked self-deception
3. Woeful self-destruction
And, sooner or later, “self-destruction” here we are and woefully clueless, too, here in this very overly sexualized world.
Then, suddenly in my head I see and hear the Church Lady saying: “Could it be ... Satan!” Yeah, I know, right? I think my mind is damaged.
But you know what’s really cool? How God works. He truly is the God of “second chances” ... however many it takes.
I thank Him requently for President Donald J. Trump and I ask Him for His continued Blessings for the POTUS and all those he brought with him.
Ah, but you weren't simply criticizing or disagreeing with someone's beliefs, you were proudly ridiculing. It's tiresome having to keep reminding you of your own choice of words. You stated:
Rather than presume you are absolutely correct in all you think and believe and close yourself off to any further input while ridiculing, insulting and mocking those with whom you disagree, how about obeying what the Apostles taught and:
Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope you possess. But respond with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. (I Peter 3:15,16)
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will. (II Timothy 2:24-26)
Mocking, name calling or derision only causes animosity and closes people off. Gentleness and respect - along with prayer and trusting the Lord to lead a seeker into all truth - will honor God. Who knows? Maybe you might even learn something.
Mocking, name calling or derision only causes animosity and closes people off. Gentleness and respect - along with prayer and trusting the Lord to lead a seeker into all truth - will honor God. Who knows? Maybe you might even learn something.
This is addressed to anyone who believes in a secret rapture. I’m just sending it to people who I thought would find it interesting. Just my thoughts.
The Rapture theory started with the Catholic Church and their attempts at deflecting accusations that they were the antichrist power. Basically EVERY reformer identified them as the antichrist power (they are).
http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/antichrist.htm
The Catholic Origins of Futurism and Preterism
The secret rapture/rapture theory is nonsense, fantasy, and certainly not biblical. There are no second chances. Anyone alive at the end of the world goes through the tribulation. The difference is that God’s people are under His protection...safe from the plagues (just like what happened in Egypt). What counts in this world is your relationship with Christ. Fear God and keep his commandments for that is the whole duty of man. Disobey at your own risk.
Reformers’ Interpretations of Anti-Christ
(Futurism, Preterism, and the secret rapture)
www.redeemerfw.org/resources/reformers_antichrist.pdf
Fear God and keep his commandments for that is the whole duty of man. Disobey at your own risk
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Not so according to “born-again Christians” who believe keeping the commandments merits them nothing because they’re already saved and can never be “unsaved”, regardless of whether or not they fear God and keep the commandments.
I could not agree with you more.
This world has no idea what deception is coming. My prayer is always that I’m worthy and humble enough to make it into the kingdom of heaven. Not many want to listen to the truth. I appreciate your wisdom.
The purpose of the rapture/The Departure of all born agains is to remove the abiding Spirit from the Earth and evangelize the Jews via the 144,000 sealed by God first fruits of the Tribulation seven years. Daniel's seventieth week is about Israel, not the church/the Body of Christ/all born agains since Peter preach on the day of Pentecost and the church age began to unfold.
The Catholic Church did not, repeat DID NOT create the notion fo the Rapture/snatching away of all believers. Jesus introduced the subject in John 14, The Holy Spirit expounded upon what Jesus revealed to His disciples, and The Holy Spirit further detailed what and how it will happen in 1 Cor 15:50-58.
Believers are told in many places that We The Body of Christ on Earth are not appointed to wrath ... see among many passages 1 Thess 1:10.
For any readers, look up Andy Woods teaching on The Rapture, multiple videos on Youtube.
[ Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVv6Da723IU
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBL25xBoxlw
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jyKWNLImj4 ]
Um, that would be 1 John 3:9 for God abiding IN the spirit of those who are born again.
The issue is that all the words straight from the Bible get interpreted by clergy and ourselves, viewed through the lenses of the times we live in, experiences we’ve had, assumptions we make, prejudices we hold, etc.
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Nicely done. I’ve been trying without success for a week to get your point across to those on this thread who think their own interpretation of Holy Writ is infallible, but they adamantly disagree with me and strongly imply that I am under the spell of the Evil One!
Show me where this was started by the Catholic Church, please. Since Catholism believes they are Israel, they believe they are the winners in the tribulation and will dwell in Jerusalem?/Rome? when Christ returns at Armageddon, IF they endure to the end. That in NO place describes a secret rapture.
OTOH, you will find what you’re looking for in Paul’s Epistles. The Paul that Catholics see as inferior to Peter.
So may I ask you where you get your interpretations that you seem to put your faith in. That would be interesting.
You must be a catholic.
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Is that not sort of like saying “the way you talk you must be a Jew” or a “Black person”?
Matthew 7
21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’…
“workers of lawlessness” what is lawlessness? It is transgressing the law of God. The bible is very clear on who will be in heaven and here it is.....Rev 14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Salvation has ALWAYS been about faith and obedience.
1 John 2:3
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments
Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was enraged at the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
I could go on and on and on, but I won’t.
Catholics can believe whatever they want, and they do. But, it doesn’t come from the bible. It comes from Tradition. Show me where anyone ever talked about when the TRIBULATION would occur and who would go through it, outside of the bible. You can’t because it’s not there. Everyone was dumping on the Catholic church at the beginning of the reformation and the Catholic church had to come up with something to deflect it. Enter Preterism and Futurism. They ALL identified them as the Antichrist power. You know why? Because the bible identifies them as the Antichrist power. I invite you to open the link I sent that shows who the early reformers identified as the Antichrist.
Jesus told you what is the command of God, what is the work God wants from us, right there in John 6. You’re working to hard to make this complicated. In this we see the astonishing Grace of God, that all He requires is to believe in Whom He sent for our deliverance.
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