Pocket Soap Boxes

[NyawehNyoh]

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Hello;

Heavyweight evangelists like Billy Graham and Luis Palau usually preached lengthy sermons during their crusades; which wasn't a bad method considering their venues. But here on an internet forum, I think we can better serve a world-wide public with concise messages that cut to the chase, so to speak, viz: strive to present our material with an economy of words.

Buen Camino
(Pleasant Journey)
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● John 3:14-17 . . As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The incident to which Christ referred is located at Num 21:5-9.

Long story short: Moses' people became weary of eating manna all the time at every meal. But instead of courteously, and diplomatically, petitioning their divine benefactor for a different diet, they became indignant and confrontational; angrily demanding better accommodations.

In response to their insolence, and their ingratitude for His providence; God sent a swarm of deadly poisonous vipers among them; which began striking people; and every strike was 100% fatal, no exceptions.

After a number of people died, the rest came to their senses and begged Moses to intercede. In reply; The Lord instructed Moses to fashion a replica of the vipers and hoist it up on a pole in plain view so that everyone dying from venom could look to it for relief.

The key issue here is that the replica was the only God-given remedy for the people's bites-- not sacrifices and offerings, not tithing, not church attendance, not scapulars, not confession, not holy days of obligation, not the Sabbath, not rosaries, not weeping, not the golden rule, not charity, not Bible study and/or Sunday school, not self denial, not vows of poverty, not the Ten Commandments, nor even one's ideology of choice, i.e. it wouldn't have mattered whether somebody was Muslim, Hindu, Jew, Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant, Baha'i, Atheist, Agnostic, Pagan, or whatever-- the replica was it; nothing else would suffice to save their lives.

As an allegory, the replica speaks of Christ's crucifixion for the sins of the world as the only God-given rescue from the wrath of God; and when people accept it, then according to John 3:14-17 and John 5:24, they qualify for a transfer from death into life. Those who reject his crucifixion as the only God-given rescue from the sum of all fears, are already on the docket to face it.

● John 3:18 . .Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

I recommend finding a quiet place; anywhere will do. Cover you face with your hands for a sense of connection, and tell God you have never yet measured up to His standards and you're pretty sure you never will. Tell Him you would like to take advantage of His son's death; and thank Him for His time.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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The Sermon On The Mount isn't something to be admired; no, it's something to be feared because according to Christ, failure to comply with his instructions will result in one's ruin.

● Matt 7:26-27 . . Everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house; and it collapsed and was completely ruined.

As for those who know the Sermon, it will be used against them.

● John 12:48 . . He who rejects me, and does not receive my sayings, has one who judges him: the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day; because I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father himself who sent me has given me commandment, what to say, and what to speak.

In other words; Jesus' sermon channels the voice of God.

● Heb 1:1-2 . . In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His son

God offered humanity His own son's life and safety to atone for their failure to fully comply with Jesus' sermon; and would appreciate an RSVP to let Him know they want in on the benefit. Of course if folks consider themselves pious enough to skip the cross, well more power to them, but I highly recommend they take God up on His offer just in case their estimation proves faulty; especially seeing as the Bible says no one yet has measured up to His own personal standards.

● Rom 3:23 . . All . . . fall short of the glory of God.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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It occurred to me some years ago, that even if I were to behave myself sufficiently in this life to get into Heaven; I seriously doubted I could keep it up forever. Sooner or later my true colors would show themselves and I'd likely get the boot. I thought to myself: if only holiness were as natural to me it is for Jesus, instead of such an effort, then my chances would be greatly improved.

And then one day, I ran across a passage in the prophecy of Ezekiel that really caught my attention. It goes like this:

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them". (36:26-27)

God made that promise to His people the Jews. Well; I began wondering if maybe me, a non Jew, could somehow get in on some of that too because its benefits are definitely very appealing to a guy whose piety, on his own, will never amount to anything better than unsatisfactory.

** The year was 1967 when I was only 23; today I'm 79 going on 80. As it turned out, 23 was an excellent time of life to begin giving serious thought to my afterlife prospects.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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A forgiven sinner is still sinful, and they'll go right on sinning same as before and thus needing forgiveness again and again ad infinitum.

● Jer 13:23 . . Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.

Well; in light of the passage above, it's certainly no surprise to me that people need to upgrade the very core of their being so that they can, by nature, be the children of Heaven in the future rather than remain the children of Hell that they are now.

● John 3:7 . . You should not be surprised at my saying you must be born again.

We're not looking at a liturgical ritual in that verse, rather, a supernatural action performed by the hand of God just as humanity's original creation was an act of God. Well; I strongly urge folks to speak with God about getting in on this particular benefit especially seeing as how it's required rather than optional.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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The passage below is deliberately misquoted. Watch for the revision.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son in order to save the world and give everyone everlasting life."

Well; the thing is: not everyone will be spared the wrath of God via Jesus' crucifixion because the benefit is limited to believers.

● John 3:16 . . For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

● John 5:24 . . I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

● 1Cor 1:21 . . He has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Rev 20:12 . . And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened . . . and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Ideally the pages for each of us in those books will be blank; that way we'll be free to go because there would be nothing listed therein with which to charge us and it will appear as though we have never been anything but 100% innocent our entire lives. Many of us have a lot to answer for, but God has made a way to get it all wiped.

● Rom 4:25 . . He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

The Greek word translated "justification" in that passage means acquittal; roughly defined as an adjudication of innocence due to lack of sufficient evidence to convict, viz: exoneration. In other words: God closes the believer's case and it's never reopened-- not because it's a cold case, but because all charges against them were transferred to Christ.

● Isa 53:6 . .We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

● 2Cor 5:19 . . God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them

● Rom 8:33-34 . .Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns; Christ Jesus, who died?

If you out there believe God had you in mind when Jesus went to the cross, and are confident his crucified dead body was restored to life; then RSVP God and let Him know you want in on this remarkable benefit because you definitely do not want your sins following you over into the next life.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Humanity was created in the image and likeness of God. So then, I think we can safely assume that humanity came packaged with a sense of responsibility, viz: a conscience.

But I remember what I told you;
That in time you're gonna pay.
"Funny How Time Slips Away"
Willie Nelson, Billy Walker, 1961

That song is correct about the ex girlfriend, but the singer neglects to take into account his own responsibility.

There are folks out in the world who've never once heard and/or been taught a single thing about the laws of God, but that doesn't let them off the hook because no matter how faulty nor how reliable their sense of responsibility might be, they will be held accountable for how much, and/or how little, they let their conscience be their guide.

● Rom 2:14-16 . . Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Now although retribution for uninformed folks will be lighter than those who know better, they will still have to undergo some penalties.

● Luke 12:47-48 . .That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Anyway, point being: we needn't fret that uninformed folks throughout the world won't get a fair shake.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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POSIT: I'm special; God understands me. Although He probably may not let others off; I'm sure God will make an exception for me because I'm not like other people; I'm different.

REPLY: Unfortunately, the Bible's God can't do that. If He were to make exceptions, God would be neither equitable, nor honest-- and worse, it would go against His grain, compromise His integrity, sin against His conscience; and cause Him to lose the world's respect.

No, God doesn't grade on a curve: everyone is treated equally in God's courtroom. In a system of divine absolutes; there is neither a curve nor an exception: nobody gets any favors, nobody is special, and nobody is a protected species.

● Deut 10:17 . . Jehovah shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.

● Acts 10:34 . .Then Peter began to speak: I now realize how true it is that God is impartial.

● Rom 2:5-11 . . For there is coming a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, will judge all people according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.

. . . But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth; and practice evil deeds. There will be anguish and calamity for everyone who practices evil-- for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all practice good --for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Heaven's criminal justice system requires life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, burning for burning, hand for hand, foot for foot, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.

Where does that leave people like Ted Kaczynski who killed and/or maimed 26 people with homemade bombs; or Stephen Paddock who indiscriminately sprayed a music concert in Las Vegas with a rifle equipped with a bump stock resulting in 471 dead and/or wounded; and the school shooters and serial killers that are in and out of the news from time to time? How are those murderers supposed to balance the scales of justice for all the illegal deaths they've caused?

Well; the fact of the matter is: they can't balance the scales because they simply don't have enough lives of their own with which to atone for their victims' lives.

This makes me suspect that suffering in the afterlife isn't uniform, i.e. there's one Hell, but its circumstances may be something akin to the nine levels of Inferno in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. Wouldn't that be something?
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Rom 6:23 . .The wages of sin is death

That rule is very serious because in the final analysis, every sin is a capital offense and, at most, people have only two lives to forfeit for sin-- the life they have now, and the one they'll have later at their resurrection. But unfortunately, their current life has already been forfeited due to Adam's disobedience in the matter of the forbidden fruit so they can't use this life to atone for any of their own disobedience.

And when they're resurrected to stand trial at the Great White Throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15; that'll be their last life because according to Dan 12:2 and John 5:28-29 there's only one resurrection allotted per person.

That's at least one of the reasons why no one is coming back from the second death depicted at Rev 20:11-15
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[NyawehNyoh]

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FAQ: What might Hell's culture be like?

REPLY: Seeing as how nobody down there has any more reason to be civil, then I think new arrivals can expect to be ill treated in that world.

Also, folks down there are deprived of the regeneration spoken of per John 3:3-8 so they are there as they were here. Well; human nature tends to deteriorate, sort of like the decay experienced by road kill and spoiled fruits and vegetables. I'd expect that the lost get badder and badder and badder as time goes on so that even a saint like Mother Teresa would eventually become so evil that her conduct in Hell would be disturbing to behold.

And then; according to Matt 7:21-23, not everyone talking the talk will make the cut.

Well; I would not want to be one of them because they will surely be mocked cruelly and without mercy by some of the netherworld's unruly crowd. I can just hear their giggling and their taunts:

Hey Christian! How's about sharing the gospel with us ay? Tell us about the love of God and how that's working for ya. Awwwww-Haw-Haw-Haw- Hawwwwwwwww!

I'd rather end up in Hell as a Bernie Madoff than a failed Christian because ol' ponzi schemer Bernie is sure to be given far more respect down there than a bible thumper.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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When people neglect to think about the hereafter; they become like a frog boiled alive by starting it out in cold water.

● Mark 4:3-19 . . Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: and some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. These are they such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Well, hello there.
My, it's been a long, long time.
How am I doing?
Oh, I guess that I'm doing fine

It's been so long now,
But it seems now that it was only yesterday.
Gee, ain't it funny
How time slips away?
(Billy Walker, 1961)
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Ps 115:17-18 . .The dead do not praise The Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.

The first "dead" in that verse are not yet deceased but might just as well be seeing as how their attitude towards God lacks reverence.

"any who go down into silence" are the dead who've passed on. Well; they're no different down below than when up here on the surface, i.e. they're still irreverent.

The wrong side of the netherworld is likely pretty noisy, but communication with God is impossible. The Bible says to call upon God while He is near. Well, there comes a time for the dead when God is too distant, i.e. He's permanently estranged. That's a kind of silence that no one should take lightly.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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I think most folks would agree that monsters like Kim Jong-Un, Xi Jinping, Robert Mugabe, Muammar Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein, human traffickers, and drug cartel kingpins belong in Hell; but why are decent folk down there?

Well; obviously humanity's moral compass points to a different north than their maker's, viz: sometimes what's tolerable in human reasoning is unacceptable to God. Why is that?

In the beginning; humanity was created with a conscience patterned after its maker's conscience.

"And God said: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them." (Gen 1:26-27)

Then came the forbidden fruit incident, wherein humanity's conscience lost its innocence and became humanistic.

Then the Lord God said: Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:22)

In other words; Man became a tin God conducting himself in accord with his own moral values.

** There's a humorous scene in Dante's Inferno where these two guys who knew each other in life are quarreling over who deserves Hell more than the other; which is pretty silly when it's considered that both were condemned to the same level down there. For example: a number of elitist Christians are far more tolerable of dishonesty than they are of LGBTQ yet both the liar and the deviant are on track for the very same fate. (Rev 21:8)

I suspect that quite a few folks sincerely believe God has made a big mistake sending them down there. In their judicious estimation; others deserve it for sure, but not themselves.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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FAQ: Was Adam's disobedience a Hell-worthy transgression?

REPLY: No. According to Gen 2:17 it was a death-worthy transgression rather than Hell-worthy. In other words; the proper penalty for Adam's mistake was simply his loss of immortality; and of course loss of access to the tree of life to make sure he'd die. (Gen 3:22-24) Now as for Adam's later sins; that's another story.

FAQ: Did Jesus' virgin conception insulate him from Adam's fall?

REPLY: According to Romans 5:12-21 the so-called original sin isn't inherited, rather; it's imputed; and it isn't imputed to each in his own time, but was imputed to all in real time. In other words: the moment Adam tasted the forbidden fruit his entire posterity was doomed to mortality right then and there: no delay and no waiting period.

The thing is: although Jesus wasn't biologically related to Joseph, he was biologically related to his mother, and she in turn was biologically related to Eve who was constructed top to bottom, inside and out, front to back, and side to side with material taken from Adam's body; thus making Jesus a legitimate member of Adam's posterity. So then; had Jesus not died on the cross, he would've eventually died of some other cause because The Word per John 1:1-3 didn't come into the world per John 1:14 as divine flesh, rather, as ordinary Jewish flesh. (Gen 49:10, Rom 1:3, and Rom 8:3)
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[4WD]

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Hello;

Heavyweight evangelists like Billy Graham and Luis Palau usually preached lengthy sermons during their crusades; which wasn't a bad method considering their venues. But here on an internet forum, I think we can better serve a world-wide public with concise messages that cut to the chase, so to speak, viz: strive to present our material with an economy of words.

Buen Camino
(Pleasant Journey)
_

Are your 14 replies what you are calling "concise messages that cut to the chase"?

   

[DaveW]

might Hell's culture be like?

Seeing as how nobody down there has any more reason to be civil, then I think new arrivals can expect to be ill treated in that world.

That is entirely conjecture, and IMO based on a false assumption: that anyone is not in enough pain to actually construct a "culture."  Hell is infinite pain, body soul and spirit, beyond the capability of anyone to withstand. IOW if God does not hold us together there for eternity, we would instantly vaporize.  And if you do not believe God is in hell:

Psalm 139:8
If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

[NyawehNyoh]

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● Eph 2:2-3 . . As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

It's believed by a pretty large percentage of modern Christians that the sinful nature spoken of in that Ephesians passage is propagated by men. Oh? From whence did Eve get it?

She was already alive and fully constructed with material taken from Adam's body prior to the forbidden fruit incident. Since himself tasted the fruit after his wife was already in existence; then it was impossible for Adam to pass the fallen nature to her via reproduction.

In the past, I was sure that the chemistry of the forbidden fruit had something to do with the first couple's altered moral perception; but now I seriously doubt it because Eve was the first to eat the fruit, and when she did, nothing happened. She remained just as shameless in the buff as before. It wasn't till Adam tasted the fruit that she began to feel exposed; so I'm pretty sure that the underlying cause is far more serious than the chemistry of that fruit.

If Eve's fallen condition wasn't due to the fruit, nor due to Adam's body, then what? Well; obviously the Serpent did it to them, a.k.a. the Devil (Rev 20:2)

The ruler of the kingdom of the air-- i.e. the spirit world --has the power of death (Heb 2:14) and the ability to tamper with the human body and the human mind in ways not easily detected; e.g. Luke 13:16, Mark 5:1-5, and Eph 2:2.

The Serpent was apparently all set and ready to wield his power the moment that Adam crossed the line and ate that fruit. It amazes me how quickly it takes effect. Not long after Adam tasted the fruit, he and his wife both immediately set to work cobbling together some rudimentary aprons to cover up their pelvic areas.

This power of death allowed the Devil is apparently so binding that it could be overturned only by Christ's crucifixion.

● John 12:31-33 . . Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.

● Heb 2:14 . . Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death; that is: the Devil.

That is at least one good reason why folks need to RSVP God about His son's crucifixion to avoid leaving this life under the Devil's supervision. They've got to get that arrangement dissolved now, while an opportunity for liberty is on the table.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Consider a Jewish man; he's undergone circumcision the eighth day as required, and successfully completed Bar Mitzvah. From that point on he is obligated to comply with the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon with God on oath per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Now supposing that same Jewish man begins to have second thoughts about the covenant and thinks maybe he would like to try something else. Well; he is not at liberty to just up and walk away from the covenant; no, not when he is very likely indebted to it via one or more of the curses listed at Lev 26:14 39, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:15-68. Those curses have to be satisfied first before he can even surmise himself free to transfer his affections to another religion. However; if that man would like; Christ can do it all for him.

● Isa 53:6 . .We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

● Gal 3:13 . . . Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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The disturbing scene depicted at Rev 20:11-15 will be presided over by none other than the sweet little babe away in a manger.

● John 5:21-23 . . Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son

● Acts 17:31 . . He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.

Misogyny was given quite a bit of negative press during former US President Trump's administration; while misandry was condoned as if acceptable. But malice is unacceptable with God on any level; and I think we have to accept the possibility that there are just as many, if not more, man haters on the wrong side of the netherworld as there are woman haters.

● Rom 2:9-11. .There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: For God does not show favoritism.

Women are not a protected species with God; nor is their gender a mitigating factor. They will be judged solely on the basis of their lives just the same as men.

● Rev 20:12-15 . . I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. . . And whosoever's name was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

** I would really hate to be a woman infected with militant misandry because in the end, it will be a man that casts angry women into the lake of fire and permanently ruining any chances they might have had for happiness in the future. For all eternity, condemned man haters will grind their teeth with hot tears and white knuckled fury that they ultimately lost out on everything because of one lone male's obsessive control over their lives.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Some years ago, a two-bit substitute Sunday school teacher wasted the hour by sitting us thru a Hollywood movie based upon the life of Joseph. At the conclusion of the "show" I raised my hand and asked the teacher if he thought Joseph was born again.

The man's reaction was not good as his mind instantly went into oscillating vapor lock trying to understand what I meant. He was baffled by my question.

Well, I explained; Jesus said that no one can enter the kingdom of God sans the Spirit birth he spoke of at John 3:3-7. The language and grammar of his statement strongly suggests there are no exceptions, viz: it isn't optional, rather, it's mandatory-- not just mandatory for some, but for everyone.

One day I asked an experienced Jehovah's Witness if he was born of the Spirit. He answered no, and added that he did not expect to undergo a Spirit birth in either this life or the next because his hope isn't in Heaven.

The JW was somehow unaware that Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus wasn't about things in Heaven, rather, things on Earth.

● John 3:12 . . . If I have told you earthly things and yet you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

In other words: the kingdom of God, and the Spirit birth requirement, pertain to Messiah's theocratic kingdom down here on the ground rather than the supreme being's celestial kingdom up in the sky.

It's both tragic and ironic that the Watchtower Society's rank and file missionaries go worldwide advertising a kingdom that they themselves will never be allowed to enter: not because they didn't work hard enough to deserve it, but simply because they were led to believe themselves exempt from the Spirit-birth requirement.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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The love that God extends to mankind in general per John 3:16 is a nondescript love that anybody can practice because it's merely benevolence, e.g. kindness, sympathy, generosity, tolerance, charity, courtesy, and keeping a civil tongue in one's head.

The love that God extends to His son's friends per John 16:27 goes beyond benevolence. It's an emotional love that expresses itself in feelings like fondness and affection.

The love per John 3:16 is typically extended without passion or prejudice; whereas that of John 16:17 mirrors 1Sam 18:1 & 2Sam 1:26.

I grew up in a dysfunctional home. Consequently the thought of God actually liking me, instead of only tolerating me as a nuisance and/or an inconvenience, is nigh unto impossible for me to comprehend.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● 1Tim 5:24-25 . . Some people lead sinful lives, and everyone knows they will be judged. But there are others whose sin won't be revealed until later.

Some folks are so shamelessly, unabashedly, outrageously, and defiantly wicked that there's no doubt in any rational person's mind that those kinds of people are headed into really big trouble down the road. Whereas others haven't a clue that not only will their good conduct be evaluated for flaws, but so will their sensibilities; which are typically influenced by customs and culture rather than molded into suitable condition by the supreme of all beings.

I think it can go without saying that some very decent folks are going to be very surprised to discover that many of their concepts relative to good and evil were evil quite often and they didn't know it.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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FAQ: Was it really necessary to restore Jesus' crucified dead body to life? Why couldn't it remain deceased and him taken Heaven in spirit form?

REPLY: Jesus' crucifixion was an adequate atonement for people's sins, but by itself wasn't enough for obtaining exoneration.

● Rom 4:25 . . He was delivered over to death for our sins, and was restored to life for our justification.

The Greek word translated "justification" basically means acquittal; defined as an adjudication of innocence.

People merely forgiven still carry a load of guilt; viz: they have a criminal record. The resurrection of Christ's crucified dead body allows God to wipe their records clean so that on the books, it's as though they've never been anything but 100% innocent so that when the books are opened per Rev 20:11-15 there will be nothing found in them with which folks may be accused.

● 1Cor 15:17 . . If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

This clearing of one's guilt that I'm talking about is obtained via the kindness and generosity of God through belief in the resurrection of Christ's crucified dead body. If the Devil can succeed in convincing people that Jesus' crucified body is still dead or, even better yet, make them question whether the man even existed at all; then they will fail to obtain an acquittal, and consequently end up coming out on the wrong side of things.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Matt 6:33 . . But seek first . . . . His righteousness,

The righteousness of God is humanly impossible to obtain because He's set the bar too high.

● Rom 3:23 . . For all . . . come short of the glory of God.

In other words: God has made His own personal sinless perfection the standard by which everyone is evaluated. Obviously then; no one among the Jews or the Gentiles-- except for Christ --has ever, nor will ever, measure up; not even the holiest people that one can imagine, e.g. Noah, Daniel, or Job; and those were some very righteous guys. (Ezek 14:12-20)

The thing is: Christ's crucifixion and resurrection satisfies justice for people's sins, and gives them a rating of innocence and exoneration that they could never in a million years attain on their own. But if the plan of salvation were to be wrapped at that point, they would still be short of the glory of God, viz: the ultimate goal of salvation is God's own personal sinless perfection which, again, is something that people could never in a million years attain on their own.

Now with justice satisfied and out of the way by means of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection; the supreme being is at liberty to become extremely benevolent with a remarkable act of God that when fully completed will equip folks with a personal sinless perfection comparable to His own.

● 2Pet 1:3-4 . . His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (cf. Ezek 36:24-27)

I think it can be agreed without debating that divine nature is a whole lots better to work with than human nature.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Jesus' crucifixion, and the subsequent resurrection of his dead body, are sometimes called substitutionary. But according to the Bible, he took people along with him into those events, which makes his crucifixion and resurrection joint actions wherein his believing followers participated.

● Rom 6:3 . .Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

● Rom 6:6 . . Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him

● Gal 2:20 . . I am crucified with Christ

● Col 3:1-4 . . For you died when Christ died

● Rom 6:4-5 . .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

● Eph 2:6 . . God raised us up with Christ

● Col 2:12 . . Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him

It's no doubt possible to allegorize the above passages, but I strongly suggest taking them as-is. I don't know how God went about making Jesus' followers joint principals in his crucifixion and resurrection, but then to this day I still haven't a clue yet how God went about making Adam's posterity joint principals in the forbidden fruit incident per Rom 5:12-21.

There is an obvious benefit to all this. Jesus went to the cross bearing guilt, but was restored to life without guilt (Rom 6:10-11). So then, all those unified with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection are also back from the dead without guilt, i.e. they came back with him 100% innocent.

● Rom 8:34 . .Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Heb 4:14-16 . .Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are; yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with frankness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Now the thing is: the high priest in Heaven despises rote. So it would be wise to put prayer books away in storage, step away from the Wailing Wall, and voice one's concerns from the heart with free, candid, forthright, and sincere expression because frankness stresses lack of shyness or secretiveness or of evasiveness from considerations of tact or expedience; ergo: frankness implies transparency, i.e. unbridled freedom of speech and the liberty to speak your mind without fear of ridicule, shame, disgrace, retribution, or retaliation, viz: with Messiah on the job, people may speak to Heaven just as we'd speak with their wives and/or their best friends, like this:

"Come now, let us discuss this-- says The Lord. No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool." (Isa 1:18)

That promise is just as good today as it was back in Isaiah's day; made possible by Jesus' crucifixion.

"He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:5-6)
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[NyawehNyoh]

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FAQ: Isn't Judaism equally as useful as Christianity for sinners seeking God's forgiveness? Isn't that the whole purpose of Yom Kippur, a.k.a. the Day of Atonement?

REPLY: Pinning one's hopes on the Day Of Atonement is futile. For one thing: there's no one to perform the ritual seeing as how there is neither a Temple nor a fully functioning Aaronic high priest on duty in Jerusalem at this time. In point of fact, neither of those two essential elements of the Day of Atonement have been in Jerusalem since 70 AD. But that's not the worst of it.

The original sacrificial system was effective-- to a point --for addressing the peoples' actions, and for sanitizing their bodies, but totally ineffective for addressing the people themselves, viz: their persons, the core of their being.

For example: when Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, his perception of decency underwent a radical change. Whereas before, he was comfortable seen undressed; afterwards he was uncomfortable seen naked even by his wife.

The thing is: Adam's moral compass went awry, i.e. his conscience became humanistic.

● Gen 3:22 . . And The Lord God said: The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.

In other words: Adam began looking to his own intuition for moral direction instead of looking to his maker, viz: Adam became a tin God.

Point being: none of the Levitical system's rituals address the corruption inherent within the human conscience that came about by means of the forbidden fruit incident.

● Heb 9:13-14 . .The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.

The Greek word translated "consciences" basically pertains to mental activity especially as it pertains to moral perception. So we're not talking about outwardly sinful behavior here. (cf. Rom 2:16 and Heb 4:12)

Bottom line: no matter how pious somebody becomes, they will never be completely ready for God until they avail themselves of Christ's crucifixion to atone for their defective internal mechanism that discerns between good and evil, right and wrong, and wise and unwise.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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I know of the Protestant minister asked by Audie Murphy's widow Pamela to speak at her husband's funeral. Mr. Murphy, as you may already know, was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner; but he wasn't a Christian.

In amazement, the minister asked Mrs. Murphy why she chose a Christian to speak at her husband's funeral.

Although Audie himself wasn't a Christian, Pamela was; and she explained that the Hollywood crowd would be there the day of his funeral, and having hob-nobbed with pampered celebrities during her husband's acting career, she was fully aware that many of them were rarely confronted with something serious about the afterlife.

Well; they got both barrels that day, and were very annoyed because they were expecting the usual sappy, feel-good rhetoric with which their ilk are accustomed.

Some may feel that Hell isn't an appropriate topic at a funeral. But I think that, other than Xmas and Easter, you couldn't pick a better time to bring it up, especially since Christ said that the majority ends up there.

● Ecc 7:2 . . It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of gaiety, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this seriously.

According to the Bible; not many great people are called (1Cor 1:26). If that's true, then we have to expect that the majority of the world's best and brightest achievers-- the really big names in sports, science, medicine, law, politics, technology, business, industry, religion, entertainment, and education, etc --don't, and won't, make it to safety when they pass on.

As I watched some of the splendor and pomp of President Gerald Ford's funeral back in January of 2007, I couldn't help but wonder if he was in a position to really appreciate it; as I suspect people in Hades would certainly no longer really care anymore whether they were given an unknown pauper's disposal in a City incinerator, or reverently placed in a grand tomb in the National Cemetery with world-wide television coverage.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Deut 27:26 . . Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.

Something that should be emphasized is that the curse is irrevocable; so it's very important to come to grips with it; and the sooner the better.

● Matt 5:18 . . For assuredly, I say to you: till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will by any means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

In other words: whoever deserves that curse is absolutely certain to get it.

In point of fact, Deut 27:26 is grammatically present tense rather than future, indicating that the curse is instant-- no delay and no waiting period. i.e. it's already on the books hanging over people's heads like a guillotine just waiting for the man in charge to give the executioner a signal to let go the rope keeping the blade in check.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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FAQ: Can you cite an Old Testament example where God approved human sacrifice?

REPLY: Yes.

● Gen 22:1-2 . . Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him: Abraham! And he said: Here I am. And He said: Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.

NOTE: According to Gen 18:23-33, Abraham wasn't above challenging God's judicial sensibilities. Had the old boy seriously believed that offering his son Isaac as a burnt offering was wrong, he would've said something; in point of fact, he had three days to think about it. (Gen 22:4)

Did Abraham slay Isaac? No; but did Abraham offer Isaac? Yes.

● Gen 22:9 . .Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

The thing is: once a gift dedicated to God is placed on an altar, it's a done deal-- whether the offering is dead or alive makes no difference. In point of fact, the letter to Hebrews credits Abraham with offering his son in obedience to God's command.

● Heb 11:17 . . By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son

Had God disapproved human sacrifice, He would've stopped Abraham before Isaac was laid on the altar.

But the grand slam of all human sacrifices is located in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, which speaks of an offering fully arranged, sanctioned, and worked out by none other than "the arm of The Lord". In other words: it was a task wherein God rolled up His sleeves and really got down to business.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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● Ps 139:1-12 . . O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You know what I am going to say even before I say it.

. . . I can never escape from Your spirit. I can never get away from your presence. If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, You are there.

. . . I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night-- but even in darkness I cannot hide from You. To You the night shines as bright as day; darkness and light are both alike to You.

In a nutshell that's saying all the things we've done in secret-- privately, behind closed doors, and/or when we thought no one was looking --was observed, and it was noted.

● Heb 4:13 . . Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Eternal life is often mistaken for immortality. The two are not the same.

Immortality pertains to a supernatural body with perpetual youth.

Eternal life, on the other hand, is a spirit kind of life; which is why it's possible for people to obtain eternal life prior to obtaining immortality.

For example: Christ had eternal life all along (John 5:26, 1John 1:1-2) but according to Rom 6:9 and Rev 1:18, he didn't obtain immortality till after his crucified dead body was restored to life.

Likewise Christ's believing followers have eternal life now, today (John 5:24) but according to Rom 8:23-25, 1Cor 15:51-53, and 1Thss 4:14-17 they won't obtain immortality until their resurrections.

The properties of eternal life are a little easier to understand when juxtaposed with natural forms of life.

Human life was created.

Eternal life wasn't created, i.e. it always was, it always is, and it always shall be.

There's a large variety of created life.

There is only one eternal life.

Human life's primary characteristic is human nature; roughly defined as the fundamental dispositions and traits of the human being.

Eternal life's primary characteristic is divine nature, roughly defined as the fundamental dispositions and traits of the supreme being.

So when the New Testament speaks of eternal life, it isn't necessarily speaking of longevity, rather; it's sometimes speaking of divinity, e.g. 2Pet 1:3-4 & 1John 1:1-2.
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[NyawehNyoh]

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Everything is a foregone conclusion with God; nothing surprises Him. God foresaw the forbidden fruit incident, He foresaw Cain and Abel, He foresaw the Flood and knew He'd regret Man's creation, He foresaw the Tower of Babel, He foresaw Sodom and Gomorrah, He foresaw the Exodus, He foresaw the Holocaust, and He has known all along who would, who will, and who won't believe in His son.

● Eph 1:3-5 . . Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will

In other words: there are no new believers to God. He's already foreseen every one of them back at the very beginning just as He's foreseen everything else ahead of time before it comes to pass. (Isa 46:9-10)

Ergo: if somebody's name isn't already in the lamb's book of life per Rev 20:11-15, then their name will never be in it because the book is closed; it was completed long, long ago.

NOTE: When I was a kid back in the decade of the 1950s, I asked my mom how I have free will if God already knows all my choices before I make them. Well; mom wasn't all that deep of a thinker, so she couldn't respond. But the thing is: I make my own decisions, God only foresees them, viz: He's the ultimate crystal ball, so to speak. (Ps 139:4)
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