Some thoughts about what people believe today.
Have you ever seen or heard interviews with people on the street where they are asked questions about things pertaining to our country like; “Who is the Vice President“? Over the years I have listened to people’s responses when asked about God, some say they don’t believe he exists, a few say he is dead and a good number say that they belong to a certain religious persuasion and believe in God. If asked the question if God loves everyone, many religious people will say yes, even those who say they believe in God but don’t practice or attend any particular congregation. I would ask the same question to those reading this blog, how would you answer?
I remember many years ago when I was a new believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I listened to many preachers on the radio, and I really liked a certain Evangelist who was on the radio on Saturday’s. He had a way of teaching God’s word mixed with humor, for instance; he spoke about a man in Israel who defended his field of lentils.
Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, but Shammah held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory. 2-Samuel 23: 11 & 12 NLT. The Evangelist made me laugh by saying this man fought over “A hill of beans”
One Saturday morning he asked if God loved everyone, I was flabbergasted, because I had never heard any preacher ask that question and in the denomination that I was brought up in I always heard that Christ loved the world and died for their sins. He never answered his own question but it bugged me because I knew that by even asking the question he did not believe that God loved everyone, so I was determined to find out if he was correct. It has been over 30 years since I first heard that question and I can say that he was right and that’s not my own opinion but is proved by God’s word! Consider these questions; does God love Satan, does he love those he judges and sends to eternal punishment for their sins? Did he love those who Jesus said would come to him on that day (The religious, those without saving faith devoid of the Spirit, wells without water, the Tares. Jude 1: 19) saying; “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do all these things in your name?” He not only tells them to depart saying that they are accursed by God (Not loved) but that he NEVER knew them. They are the wicked whom God hates, which is the complete opposite of love.
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7: 11 KJV.
For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? 1-Peter 4: 17 NLT.
This judgment of Jesus is not a condemnation of ”His” people who are the Church, every “Born Again” believer who are his Spiritual body on the earth. His judgment of the believer’s unconfessed sin brings his correction upon them which is a sign of his love, as the word says that any loving father would do. Even though these believers may be disobedient and carnal they are never disowned or forsaken by the Lord, Romans 8:1 and Romans 8: 35 because it is what Jesus did for the m on the cross and not by their own works. He paid it all, past present and future sins. It is through disobedience, deception and immaturity that the believer may be doing “Dead Works” but the mature Son will be led by the Holy Spirit, doing the true works of God. The thief on the cross believed and was saved without works!
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8: 14 KJV.
You may ask; what about the Lord telling us to love our neighbor? That is true but all love is not the same, when we look at the Greek words for love we find the word Jesus used for loving our neighbor is a social, friendly love, not the love that only believers have for Jesus and for one another through the Holy Spirit. That love is the pure Agape’ love which God himself is! Jesus the man loved Judas with a *friendly social love.
* Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Psalm 41: 9 NASB.
Even though Jesus was fully God he was also fully man and had to suffer in every way as a human being in order to represent us completely when he gave his life as a ransom on the cross. How many of us have suffered by having a close friend turn against you or betray you? Jesus understands this and is the only true friend that sticks closer than a brother.
We read in today’s newspapers of the things Jude spoke about, those who have crept into some Churches bringing things that God’s word has warned about, worldly things and God says that those who “Practice” those things will not inherit the Kingdom of God and are NOT loved by him.
nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 1-Corinthians 6: 10 NASB. Note: Believers can and do fall into sin doing the most awful things but because they belong to God (His own purchased possession) they cannot stay in that state as willful unconfessed sin brings God’s correction upon them. This can be grievous and in some cases, even death. This death of a believer does not mean they would be separated from God; on the contrary, they go to Heaven early.
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 1-Corinthians 6: 19 NLT.
How many realize that there are words in scripture that don’t mean what you think they say? For example, Caesar issued a decree that “All” the world be taxed, but it was not for the entire world but for the world under the Roman’s rule. So all does not always mean all in the scriptures. The truth is that we find in God’s word that he does not love everyone in the world; he is a righteous and just God showing compassion, mercy, grace and love along with judgment and punishment of the wicked.
Author Ken
Feb. 2014