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The Lake of Fire - PART VI
TWO JUDGMENTS BY FIRE
Only two sections of Scripture speak of judging
every man’s work in fire. They are Revelation 20 and I Corinthians 3. Earlier in this
series we covered many Scriptures showing that Judgment is on the House of God NOW (from
the time of the Apostles until the return of Christ), and that there is coming a later
judgment at the Great White Throne. All humanity and all angelic messengers will be judged
in one of these two judgments by fire.
In Part V we saw how God likens believers to a
garden that is to produce fruit. God also likens our spiritual development to that of a
building. We are to produce much "spiritual fruit" which will also make us
"living stones" in a great temple prepared for God’s dwelling place. We
will now continue our study beginning with the Foundation upon which all this spiritual
structure is to be built.
JESUS CHRIST—THE ROCK
"According to the grace of God which is given
unto me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another builds thereon.
But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay
than that is laid, which IS Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this
foundation…" (I Cor. 3:10-12).
We already saw that we are God’s building of
living stones that are to produce garden varieties of spiritual fruit.
Paul gives us an even clearer description of this
spiritual building process in Eph. 2:19-21,
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are
[being] built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the Chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed [being connected
together] grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: In Whom ye also are built together for
an habitation [dwelling place] through [in] Spirit."
God’s Word portrays a far different and higher
spiritual destiny than the Christian candy-coated heaven of a Disney World Magic Kingdom
with pearly gates, streets of gold, fluffy clouds, and chubby-cheeked cherubs strumming
their little harps while huge choruses sing rock-n-roll gospel music and the saints
practice rapping with the angels in a land of endless mountains of chocolate and candy
where everyone has his own mansion in which to live in the lap of perpetual luxury,
laziness, and non-accomplishment, catering to the lusts of the flesh while delighting over
a vision of countless billions writhing in unspeakable torturous pain of an eternal lake
of fire. What a HELL that would be!
Maybe it is time we rid ourselves of all the fabled
fantasies of pagan nirvanas. Saints are never going to a geographical location on a huge
rock or planet in outer space called "heaven." There will never descend out of
heaven a literal city with pearly gates or streets of gold. We will never live in such a
literal, physical, material city! These are symbols, metaphors, and word pictures to
describe SPIRITUAL REALITIES.
God’s kingdom is SPIRITUAL. All in God’s
kingdom will be SPIRITUAL. And all this is being build on a huge SPIRITUAL ROCK—The
CHRIST. Jesus Christ is the "Chief Corner Stone," the "Foundation,"
the "ROCK!"
I live in Miami, Florida where they have recently
completed twin towers of forty-five stories each right on the sand of Miami Beach. That is
they appear to be built right on the sand. They are, in fact, anchored on many pilings
driven down to solid bedrock. No one is foolish enough to spend a hundred million dollars
on skyscrapers that would have sand for their foundation.
Jesus Christ is the spiritual bedrock upon which we
are to become a spiritual and fit dwelling place for God. In times past God made His
presence known within the physical temple at Jerusalem. But the physical tabernacle in
Jerusalem is long gone. The Levitic priesthood is long gone. But there is still an high
Priest:
"But Christ being come an HIGH PRIEST of
good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that
is to say, not of this building… For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are figures of the true; but into heaven itself now to appear in the
presence of God FOR US" (Heb. 9:11 & 24).
WHO IS THIS MAN, THE CHRIST?
Just Who is Jesus Christ? Many have but a
superficial knowledge of the real Jesus. And those who have studied the Scriptures deeply,
are but scratching the surface of the real Christ. Jesus Christ is a whole lot more than
the humble carpenter from Nazareth, Who was born of a virgin and died on a cross. JESUS
CHRIST IS EVERYTHING! Everything that ever was, is, or shall be is found in Christ! He is
the very CREATOR, SUSTAINER, AND ALMIGHTY GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. God the Father has never
directly made Himself known to humanity. It was Jesus Christ Who came to reveal the Father
to mankind.
God the Father,
"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by
His SON, Whom He hath appointed HEIR OF ALL THINGS, by whom also He MADE THE WORLDS; Who
being the BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, and the EXPRESS IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, and upholds ALL
THINGS BY THE WORD OF HIS POWER, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:2-3).
"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered
us from the power or darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of HIS DEAR SON: In
Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the IMAGE
OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were ALL THINGS CREATED,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, whether they be thrones,
or dominions, or principalities, or powers: ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM [Jesus
Christ], AND FOR HIM [Jesus Christ]:
And He is BEFORE ALL THINGS, and by Him ALL
THINGS CONSIST. And He is the HEAD OF THE BODY, THE CHURCH: Who is the beginning, the
firstborn form the dead, that in ALL THINGS HE MIGHT HAVE THE PREEMINENCE. For it pleased
the Father that IN HIM SHOULD ALL FULLNESS DWELL. And having made peace through the blood
of His cross, by Him to RECONCILE ALL UNTO HIMSELF; by Him, I say, whether in earth or in
heaven" (Col. 1:12:20).
"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"
(Rev. 1:8).
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. ALL THINGS
WERE MADE BY HIM: and without Him was not any thing made that was made. IN HIM WAS LIFE;
and the life was the light of men" (John 1:1-3).
"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, Before Abraham WAS, I AM" (John 8:58). "And God said unto
Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shall thou say unto the children of Israel, I
AM hath sent me to you" (Ex. 3:14).
Jesus Christ was the GOD of the Old Testament! Jesus
Christ was JEHOVAH! Moses SAW and HEARD Jehovah, yet John tells us that,
"No man has seen God at any time; the only
begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, HE HAS DECLARED HIM" (John
1:18).
And this,
"And the Father Himself, which hath sent me,
has born witness of Me. Ye have neither HEARD HIS VOICE at any time, NOR SEEN HIS
SHAPE" (John 5:37).
"For the Father judges no man, but has
committed ALL JUDGMENT UNTO THE SON" (John 5:22).
"And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying,
ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH" (Matt. 28:18).
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that you
should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through
the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the
same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them: and THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST" (I Cor.
10:1-4).
And contrary to popular Christian tradition, Jesus
did NOT say that He would build His church upon Peter. "And I say also unto thee,
That thou art Peter [Greek, petros, a piece of detached stone or rock], and
upon THIS ROCK` [Greek, petra {a different kind of rock}, a mass of rock
that cannot be moved as in Matt. 7:24 and 27:60, which is distinct from petros which
is a smaller detached rock that can be moved] will I built MY CHURCH; and the gates of
the unseen [hades] shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). Jesus
named Simon, "Cephas"(Peter is the Greek translation of Cephas which is
Chaldee):
"And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus
beheld him, He said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas,
which is by interpretation, A stone" (John 1:42),
that is, a smaller detached stone or rock in
contrast to Himself Who is a huge unmovable mass of foundational BEDROCK. See Luke 6:48.
The Church of the Living God is build upon CHRIST, not Peter! And so it is upon this
SPIRITUAL, unmovable, foundational, bedrock of Jesus Christ that we are to be built into a
new spiritual creation.
TAKE HEED HOW YOU BUILD
Constructing a building is a process that requires
time and activity. Since God likens the building of His spiritual temple to the assembling
of a physical building, then this process, likewise, requires time and activity. Time and
activity is what we call living our lives. Now then, when does judgment begin at the
building of this house of God? Answer:
"For the time IS COME that judgment must
begin at the house of God…" (I Peter 4:17).
And so it clearly has already begun with the
Apostles and New Testament Church nearly two thousand years ago. And it is still going on
in the Church of God today, in every believer’s life, as he lives his life.
Therefore, Paul warns:
"But let every man take heed HOW he builds [his
building’] thereupon" (I Cor. 3:10).
And so judgment is upon the building of God’s
house as each individual believer is framed and fitted for the calling that God has for
each individual. This judgment began in the days of the Apostles after the resurrection of
our Lord. It continued generation after generation down through the age until today when
it yet continues. And it will continue still further until the entire harvest of
firstfruits is completed. Remember we already learned that if we would judge ourselves
now, Paul said we would not be condemned with the world later (I Cor. 11:32).
It is while we are living and building that our
works are being tried and judged BY FIRE according to HOW we are building. What fire?
God’s fire. God’s "CONSUMING [spiritual] FIRE"
(Heb. 12:29)! God is SPIRIT and likewise His fire is SPIRIT. I have never heard a minister
or teacher preach on the good and beneficial side of God’s FIRE. Fire is usually
portrayed as bringing about pain, evil, and destruction. Since God is GOOD (Luke 18:19),
and God is SPIRIT (John 4:24), and God is INVISIBLE (Col. 1:15), why does the church teach
the world that God as a CONSUMING FIRE (Heb. 12:29) is visible and not invisible,
literal and not spiritual, and bad rather than good?
"For other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver, precious stones [valuable traits of Godly spiritual character] wood, hay,
stubble [carnal traits of no value]; Every man’s work shall be made manifest:
for the day shall declare it, because IT SHALL BE REVEALED BY FIRE; and the fire
shall try every man’s work of what sort it is"
Every thought, every word, and every deed
that proceeds out of the heart and mind of man is his "WORKS." And every
thought, every word, and every deed of man will come into the judgment of Almighty
God’s "CONSUMING FIRE." Notice that it is both our things of great
value: "gold, silver, precious stones," and our things of no value: "wood,
hay, stubble" that are tried in the fire, God’s Consuming Fire. Every
person possesses knowledge, therefore, every person is a combination of both good and evil
(for knowledge can only be a combination of both good and evil knowledge).
EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE
Everything in the universe is a contrast with or to
something else in the universe. Nothing can be known about anything without contrasting it
with other things. You cannot think a thought nor can you perform a deed without a working
knowledge of these contrasting factors. If I should say that a box is big, you
could not have any conception of what I am saying unless you also know what it is for
something to be small. Something is only smooth in contrast to it being rough.
Up is only up in relation to down. Without the contrasting relationship
between two opposites "up" could just as easily be "down." And
all big boxes might be perceived as small were it not for the fact that there would be no
concept of small without a knowledge of big.
Therefore, in the physical universe, all things are
what they are by contrast and relativity. Very hot stars are only very hot
relative to cooler stars. If there were no knowledge of cooler stars, there could
also be no hot stars. Things are either hard or soft, or harder or softer (but harder or
softer than WHAT?—always, something else). Things are light or dark (or somewhere in
between, (but the in between can also only be known by gradations of relativity as well).
Things are heavy or light, sharp or dull, big or small, tall or short, strong or weak, hot
or cold, left or right, north or south, in or out, new or old, beginning or end, fast or
slow, fat or skinny, straight or crooked, up or down, high or low, moving or still,
positive or negative, visible or invisible, etc. You get the idea. Now then, this same law
of knowledge pertains to inanimate things and things of a spiritual nature as well. Again
it is only by understanding one thing relative to another or one thing contrasted with
another that enables us to intelligently communicate and live our lives. Let’s look
at a few of these: happy or sad, giving or stingy, build or destroy, kind or cruel,
energetic or lazy, haughty or humble, intelligent or stupid, wise or foolish, right or
wrong, true or false, good or evil, righteous or wicked, love or hate, life or death,
temporary or eternal.
Having a working knowledge of these relative and
contrasting terms and concepts is absolutely essential in living our lives. We must all
come to know and to experience both good and evil. The universal teaching that God
"never intended" for man to eat of "the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil" is as false and unscriptural as anything could ever be. It was both essential
and paramount that man should eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Knowledge
of both good and evil is an attribute of God Himself. If we are to be the "sons of
God," we too must partake of this quality of God’s nature. How could man ever be
fully made into the very image of His Creator God if he did not possess even the basic
fundamental attributes of his Creator and Father?
Let me make one thing clear at this point, lest my
detractors think they have discovered a major flaw in my teaching. "Evil" is not
good nor is it eternal. Nonetheless, a "knowledge of evil" is good and is
eternal. All evil will take its place in the lake of fire, but a knowledge of evil is
eternal just as sure our God, Who possesses a knowledge of evil, is eternal.
And so man’s life consists of a combination of
both good and evil thoughts, words, and deeds. The most saintly of men have had their
flaws and the most evil of men have possessed at least a few qualities of good. I am sure
that even Adolph Hitler loved his mother and was kind to his dog. But loving your mother
and being kind to your dog will not get you into the kingdom of God. And let me be quick
to add that hating your mother and being cruel to your dog will not eternally keep you out
of the kingdom of God either.
Oh that the church could have the faith to believe
that God Almighty is able to accomplish His will for humanity:
"For this is GOOD [not evil] and
acceptable [but NOTHING SHORT OF THIS IS ACCEPTABLE] in the sight of God our
Saviour; Who WILL have ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, and to come to the knowledge [both the
good knowledge and the evil knowledge] of THE TRUTH" (I Tim. 2:3-4).
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all
acceptation [so here is another statement that is ‘worthy’ and
‘acceptable’ in the sight of God]. For therefore we both labour and suffer
reproach, because we trust in the living God Who is the Saviour of ALL MEN [and
nothing short of ‘all men’ IS worthy or acceptable to God], specially [specially
does not mean ‘exclusively’] of those that believe" (I Tim. 4:10).
(THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, SPECIALLY BELIEVERS)
A little digression: For the past couple of weeks I
have been wasting my time exchanging emails with a man who took great exception to my
treatment of I Tim. 2:4 in Part V of this series on the lake of fire. He concluded that I
have not a lick of knowledge concerning proper interpretation, homiletics, hermeneutics,
or exegesis. He proceeded to explain to me the king of all theological seminary theories
on interpretation, which is "context, context, context" (sort of like the real
estate theory of property value: "location, location, location"). He pointed out
that the "context" of "all men" found in I Tim. 2:4 is found in
I Tim. 2:1-2,
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL MEN; For
kings, and for ALL that are in authority…"
He informed me that in my ignorance I failed to see
that the "all men" that God wills to be saved in verse 4 is speaking of
kings and those in authority of verse 2 ONLY! Oh really?
I asked him if the "all men" of verses 4
and 5 also pertained ONLY to the "context" of verse 2. Let’s read it:
"For there is one God, and one Mediator
between God and men [all mankind], the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom
for ALL [mankind], to be testified in DUE time" (I Tim. 2:5-6).
I asked him if Jesus Christ gave Himself a ransom
for "all kings and all in authority" ONLY (in keeping with his theory of
"context, context, context")? I never heard from him again.
"Alleging themselves to be wise, they
are made STUPID…" (Rom. 1:22, Concordant New Testament).
Let me kindly point out that the "kings and
authorities" of verse 2 are only two categories of the "all men" in verse
1. Do we really think that what Paul was actually meaning to say is this: "I exhort
therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all kings and for all that are in authority, ONLY?"
NO! The supplications, intercessions and giving of thanks were to be made "for ALL
men." Paul then gives us two categories of men out of "all men" that
should be included. Namely kings and those in authority, because these have the power and
authority to make our lives miserable if they become our enemies, and Paul desired that
the saints live a "quiet and peaceable life" as much as is possible in
this wicked world.
I was kind of sad that my detractor did not answer
back my last email to him, because I was holding I Tim. 4:10 in store for my next rebuttal
to his inane arguments. Now this truly is a remarkable Scripture. I have had many traitors
of the truth tell me that when God speaks of "all" being saved it always means
"all saints" or "all in the context" or "all in Christ" or
some other "all," just as long as it can never ever mean "all of
mankind." But don’t you just know that it is God’s way to shut the mouths
of deceivers. Let’s look at I Tim. 4:9-10 in any context you wish:
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all
acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the
living God, Who IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, specially of those that believe."
Now had God left off that last phrase, "specially
of those that believe," then maybe our detractors could once again say that,
"Well, yes, God ‘is the saviour of all men,’ it’s just that He
doesn’t actually save all men." Let me now show you how my Pennsylvania farm boy
mind works when it comes to a Scripture like this one. God has so tightly book-ended this
verse that it is absolutely impossible for even the most devious minds of detractors and
traitors of the truth to misrepresent this verse with an ounce of intelligence. This verse
is IRON CLAD!
Notice that this verse does not say: "God is
the Saviour of ALL MEN, specially ALL MEN," does it? No. And this verse does not say:
"God is the Saviour of ALL THAT BELIEVE, specially ALL THAT BELIEVE," does it?
No. The "specially of those that believe," BELIEVE. The rest of the "all
men" do NOT BELIEVE. These are two different groups—(1)Believers and
(2)NON-believers. Since the "believers" are "specially" saved, in
relation to the saving of the "all men non-believers," then they will be saved
also. See it doesn’t say that God is the Saviour of all men but will ONLY save
believers. No, the "all men" ARE SAVED and the "believers" are
SPECIALLY SAVED—BOTH will be saved! The word "specially" does not mean
"exclusively."
The word "specially" is translated from
the Greek word malista, which means "in the greatest degree or
particularly" (Strong’s Greek Dictionary p. 155). It is translated
"specially," "especially," "chiefly" and "most of
all." In every single usage of this word in the New Testament it is used in relation
to others who are not excluded, but included in the same subject. Let us notice a few of
these so that we can be absolutely convinced in our own minds that the "specially
believers" can in no possible way exclude the "all men" of the same verse.
"For there are many unruly and vain
talkers and deceivers, SPECIALLY [Gk: malista] they of the
circumcision" (Titus 1:10).
Is it even necessary that I point out that this
verse does not in any way insinuate that the "unruly and vain talkers and
deceivers" are ALL from the circumcision ONLY?
"Not now as a servant but above a servant, a
brother beloved, SPECIALLY to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the
flesh, and in the Lord?" (Philemon 16).
This verse says for sure that Onesimus was
"special" to more than just Paul. And so it is with every single use of this
Greek work in the New Testament.
It is absolutely clear and irrefutable that the
believers of I Tim. 4:10 are saved in a special way, that is, they are saved before
the rest of humanity, and they are given the gift of eonian (age-abiding) life reigning
with Christ in the Kingdom of God, ages before the rest of humanity are saved. Only
those called and chosen NOW will EVER reign and rule and bring salvation to the rest of
the world and to the universe—THIS is a special gift of God to believers being called
in this age ONLY. But … BUT, the rest of humanity WILL ALSO BE SAVED (albeit by way
of the lake of fire in the great white throne judgment).
And so it is that long before the rest of humanity
is purged through the lake of fire, believers must also be purged through FIRE. It is so
sad that these things are not taught in Sunday school or church. Salvation is by grace
through faith. But if we isolate these two words "grace" and "faith"
from all the thousands of Scriptures that show us how grace and faith operate in the real
world, then we will fail to see or understand the most fundamental of New Testament
teachings. GAL, 2;20.
THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER
Let’s see again just what is involved in living
the live of a believer:
-
"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. For we are HIS workmanship [Gk: achievement], created in Christ Jesus unto [unto
what?] … unto GOOD WORKS, which God has before ordained that we should walk in
them" (Eph. 2:10). We are not saved by OUR WORKS, but we are preordained to walk
in GOD’S GOOD WORKS, nonetheless.
-
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of
God." (John 3;3). Notice that Eph. 2:10 says that we are "created IN
Christ." Something new happens when we are "IN" Christ. There is a NEW
birth and there is a NEW creation, "Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a NEW
CREATURE [Gk: creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new" (II Cor. 5:17). Albeit, this new creation has its perils as we will see in
the next verse.
-
"Yea, and ALL that will live godly in
Christ Jesus [as a new and different creature] SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION." (II
Tim. 3:12). This is not just a possibility; it is an absolute PROMISE.
-
"Confirming the souls of the disciples,
and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through MUCH TRIBULATION [pressure,
afflictions] enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
-
"For if we would JUDGE OURSELVES, we
should not be judged. But when we ARE JUDGED, we are CHASTENED [Greek: paideuo, to
train, educate, discipline, punish, chastise, instruct, learn, and teach] of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world [at the great white throne judgment]"
(I Cor. 11:31-32).
-
"And you have forgotten the exhortation
which speaks unto you as unto children, My Son, despise not you the chastening of the
Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him. For whom the Lord loves He CHASTENS [Prov.
13:24] AND SCOURGES [see I Pet. 5:9] EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. But if you be
without chastisement, whereof ALL are partakers, then are you bastards, and not sons"
(Heb. 12:5-8). "Every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day
shall declare it, because it shall be REVEALED BY FIRE; and the fire shall try
EVERY MAN’S WORK of what sort it is" (I Cor. 3;13).
-
"Fear NONE of those things which you shall
suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and
you shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a
CROWN OF LIFE" (Rev. 2:10). "To him that overcomes will I give to
eat of the TREE OF LIFE [eternal, immortal life]" (Rev. 2:7), "He
that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death" (Rev. 2:11),
"And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give
POWER OVER THE NATIONS" (Rev. 2;26), "He that overcomes, the same
shall be clothed in white raiment [righteousness] and I will not blot out his name
out of the book of life [Christ is the book of life] but I will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels" (Rev. 3:5), "Him that overcomes
will I make a PILLAR [a main and vital support in the very government of Almighty God]
IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD…" (Rev. 3:12), "To him that overcomes
will I grant to SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE, even as I also overcame [see John 16:33], and
am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21).
There we have a very brief overview of the life of a
believer. Is it not obvious that the life of a believer consists of a whole lot more than
just "believing" that Jesus is the Christ? God has bigger plans for the human
race than just "saving" them. God can "save" chickens, but God
doesn’t want chickens for sons! God wants sons that are PERFECT as He is perfect!
Wouldn’t you all agree that becoming perfect might just require a whole lot more than
singing gospel music once a week? Perfection requires many things that only God can
perform in our lives. We are, after all, His workmanship, His achievement. Having ALL OUR
WORKS tried in the fire of His Holy Spirit is no small part of becoming perfect.
REVEALED AND TRIED BY FIRE
"Now if any man build upon this [spiritual]
foundation [Christ] gold, silver, precious stones [godly character traits], wood,
hay, stubble [carnal character traits]; Every man’s work [thoughts, words,
and deeds] shall be made manifest [become known, come to light]: for the day shall
declare it [make it evident], because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every man’s work of what sort it is" (I Cor. 3:12-13).
The fire in these verses is no more literal than are
the gold or stubble suggested as building materials. People do not construct large
buildings out of gold, neither do they set them on fire after completion to see how well
they will fare. This is all figurative and symbolic language to instruct us in much higher
spiritual development. We are not literaI gardens of God neither are we literal
buildings of God. But we are like gardens in certain ways—we are to produce good
spiritual fruit. We are like buildings in certain ways—we are to be a spiritual
dwelling place for God. We have works that are like gold and silver in certain
ways—we have thoughts, words, and deeds of good and lasting value. We also have
carnal and evil works—bad thoughts, crass words, and evil deeds that are of no
lasting value and are only fit for destruction. Only God’s SPIRITUAL FIRE can burn
away spiritual wickedness and evils of the heart.
All of these material items are used as symbols of
spiritual things. Therefore, of necessity, the fire that tries these material symbols is
also SPIRITUAL. It is not possible to burn up with fire an inanimate character flaw
without burning up the person who harbors it. Likewise, it is not possible to purge and
purify the good qualities of character in a person with literal fire without burning up
the individual that possesses them. But spiritual fire, God’s all consuming, purging
and purifying fire is perfectly suited to do just that. This trying and purging is not
always pleasant, however, it is not a torture chamber either. Does this fire harm the
person being purged in this fire?
SALVATION BY FIRE
No, our merciful and graceful loving God and Father
does not eternally torture humanity IN fire, but rather eternally saves humanity BY fire.
Let’s read it and rejoice:
"Every man’s work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire
shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he
has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he
shall suffer loss: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE" (I Cor.
3:13-15).
Does everyone understand this? NO ONE is tortured,
killed, or annihilated in this fire! This fire of God SAVES people who go through it!
There is salvation BY means of this fire. This fire is part of God’s judgment and
grace!
SCRIPTURE MUST INTERPRET SCRIPTURE
Pay close attention to what I am about to say.
There are but two places in all Scripture that speak of "EVERY MAN’S
WORK" being tried and judged: Twice in I Cor. 3 and twice in Rev. 20. And there
are but two places in all Scripture where every man’s work is tried and judged "IN
FIRE." And again those two places are I Cor. 3 and Rev. 20. Now then, earlier we
learned from the Apostle Peter that,
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the
Scripture at all is becoming its OWN EXPLANATION" (II Pet. 1:20, Concordant
Literal New Testament).
So I Cor. 3 cannot completely answer all that is
contained within its verses without the aid of the ONLY other such Scripture in the Bible,
Rev. 20. And Rev. 20 cannot completely answer all that is contained within its verses
without the aid of the ONLY other such Scripture in the Bible, I Cor. 3!
Paul tells us in I Cor. 2: 12-13 that,
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the
world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might KNOW THE THINGS that are freely given
to us of God. Which things also we speak [in only
twelve more verses Paul Himself speaks of just such spiritual things concerning the
judgment of men’s works in fire] not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches [not
the same physical torture in physical fire taught by the foolish understanding of the
church] but which the Holy Spirit teaches; COMPARING [OR MATCHING] SPIRITUAL
THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL."
By comparing these two spiritually matched
Scriptures with one another we can come to the truth of God’s intention for BOTH of
these fires that judge and try EVERY MAN’S WORK in their own order.
The fire of I Cor. 3 accomplishes the very same
thing as the fire of Rev. 20 accomplishes. Both of these fires are symbolic. Literal fire
does not burn up inanimate flaws (wood, straw and stubble) of human character. But AS
literal fire does burn up literal wood, straw and stubble, SO ALSO does God’s
spiritual fire burn up human character flaws. We are not told of this "wood, straw
and stubble" in the lake of fire, nor of the "gold, silver and precious
stones." We learn from I Cor. 3 that this is the case with the lake of fire also
because these two sets of Scripture are the ONLY spiritual match in the entirety of the
Bible. And just as we learn new things and additional things about the lake of fire in I
Cor. 3, we also learn something new and different in Rev. 20:10 that is not mentioned in I
Cor. 3.
In this lake of fire of Rev. 20 we find a most
unusual thing–brimstone. BRIMSTONE? OH NO! NOT BRIMSTONE! Isn’t this lake of fire
going to be painful enough without adding "brimstone?" First we learn from
Christendom that the non-believers and wicked will be tortured for all eternity in literal
white-hot fire, and now we read in the Scriptures that there is going to be BRIMSTONE in
this lake of fire! Whose idea is it to add brimstone to this fire? Is this a cruel curse
from Satan? That doesn’t seem plausible seeing that this is GOD’S WHITE
THRONE JUDGMENT, and not Satan’s BLACK THRONE JUDGMENT. But why then would God
be putting this cursed brimstone into this fire? Wait a minute… Maybe the brimstone
isn’t a cruel curse from God, but rather a marvelous blessing. Is that possible? With
God all things are possible.
BRIMSTONE IN THE LAKE OF FIRE
What is brimstone anyway? Everything in the book
of Revelation is "signified" (SYMBOLIZED). We know that there is literal fire
and there is spiritual fire; and there is literal brimstone, but is there also spiritual
brimstone? Ask any nominal Christian why there is brimstone in the lake of fire, and he
will probably tell you that it is there to make the fire hotter and more painful. Oh
really? Is there something about brimstone that is caustic to the skin that would cause
great pain? Does brimstone somehow cause fire to burn hotter and hotter? Does brimstone
make the flesh hotter? Or is it corrosive material that eats away at the skin and flesh
thus causing even more intense insane pain. The very sound of the word brimstone has come
to represent something Satanic. Nothing could be further or diametric opposite from
reality. For those of you who have never learned the meaning and derivation of the word
"brimstone," you are in for a real shock.
Look up the word "brimstone" in any
dictionary and you will find it defined as "sulfur." Brimstone is sulfur. What
then are the properties and uses of sulfur? I have known the Scriptural meaning and uses
of sulfur for years, but I had never looked up the word sulfur in my Encyclopedia
Britannica before—what a revelation.
SOME PROPERTIES OF SULFUR
SULFUR: "It is often called brimstone (burning
stone) and ignited sulfur is mentioned in the earlier records of many countries as having
been used for religious ceremonies, for PURIFYING (fumigating) buildings and for bleaching
cloth" (Encyclopedia Britannica, page 536d). Gee, I wonder if spiritual
brimstone might be used to PURIFY and fumigate people and bleach their darkened hearts to
a bright white? Under the caption: "Methods of Production—Ancient
producers described their method of obtaining sulfur from its ore as PURIFICATION BY
FIRE" (Page 537a). (All caps emphasis is mine). "Purification by fire."
That sounds very Biblical. Does God "purify" good and wonderful things by
"fire?" Yes, He does: The WORDS of the Lord are pure words: as silver [silver?
Isn’t the silver qualities of our character also tried in ‘fire,’ I Cor.
3:12-13?] tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalm 12:6). Now
we all know that the very "words" of God are not burned in a literal fire. But
"AS" silver is tried in literal fire, so SPIRITUALLY God’s words are tried
in spiritual fire.
But surely, according to what we have been told by
doomsday prophets of eternal hell, sulfur must cause great torturing pain when brought
into contact with human skin, and wouldn’t the smell alone be enough to suffocate all
in its presence? Continuing: "Physical Properties—Sulfur is TASTELESS and
ODORLESS. IT HAS NO ACTION ON THE SKIN" (Page 537d)!
So maybe it’s just the heat that is intensified
by the use of sulfur, and that is its purpose in the lake of fire—to increase the
intensity of the fire’s heat to cause more insane pain? Continuing: "Physical
Properties—Sulfur is A POOR CONDUCTOR OF BOTH HEAT and
electricity…" (Page 538a)! Imagine that—a POOR CONDUCTOR OF HEAT!
Theoretically, if God were to put enough brimstone into the lake of fire it would protect
those in the fire like an asbestos suit! Is anyone beginning to see the sheer folly in the
church’s teaching that the lake of fire and brimstone are literal? I sure hope
so.
NO, brimstone is not the demon of hell fire that it
has been portrayed. Sulfur rather has hundreds and hundreds of beneficial uses (my Twentieth
Century Dictionary says, ‘innumerable uses’) not the least of which are
purification and medicines. But wait, there’s more. Why do we find sulfur in the lake
of fire? If it serves no detrimental purpose, is it possible that it serves a beneficial
purpose? I think that we can all agree that the Bible uses the word "fire" in a
figurative way on many occasions. I am certain that none would consider the following
verses as using fire in a literal way:
SCRIPTURAL USE OF FIGURATIVE FIRE
"His head and His hairs were white like
wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were as a flame of FIRE" (Rev. 1:14).
"That the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than of gold that perishes though it be tarried with FIRE, might be found
unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:7).
"And the tongue is a FIRE…" (James
3:6).
"And of the angels He says, Who makes His
angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of FIRE" (Heb. 1:7).
"Every man’s work shall be made
manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by FIRE; and the FIRE
shall try every man’s work of what sort it is" (I Cor. 3:13).
"For our God is a consuming FIRE"
(Heb. 12:29).
"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him;
if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of FIRE on his
head" (Rom. 12:20).
"John answered, saying unto them all, I
indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I comes, the latchet of Whose shoes I
am not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with FIRE" (Luke
3:16).
"For EVERY ONE shall be salted with FIRE,
and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt" (Mark 9:49).
"But who may abide the day of His coming?
And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s FIRE, and like
fullers’ soap" (Malachi 3:2).
"…for all the earth shall be devoured
with the FIRE of my jealousy" (Zeph. 3:8).
"For in My jealousy and in the FIRE of My
wrath have I spoken" (Ezek. 38;19).
"From above has He sent FIRE into my
bones…" (Lamentations 1:13).
"Is not My word like as a FIRE? saith the
Lord" (Jer. 23:29).
"Who makes His angels spirits; His ministers
a flaming FIRE" (Psalm 104:4).
SYMBOLIC BRIMSTONE
And there are, of course, many more such Scriptures.
Fire is often used in figurative language. But what about the "brimstone?" Why,
oh why, is there brimstone in the lake of fire? It isn’t caustic to the skin; it
isn’t noxious to the smell; it isn’t ugly to look at, and it’s a poor
conductor of heat, how can brimstone (sulfur) be detrimental to humans who are thrown into
this lake of fire? Consider that sulfur is used to make medicines. Remember how many were
saved with the famous sulfa drugs back in World War Two? Are there "spiritually
sick" people in this lake of fire? THEY ARE ALL SPIRITUALLY SICK! EVERY ONE OF THEM!
They certainly need a good medicine. We also learned that sulfur has been used since the
beginning of time for PURIFICATION! Are those thrown into this lake of fire
"pure?" I speak as a fool. THEY ALL NEED PURIFICATION! EVERY ONE OF THEM!
Since physical medicines cannot cure the spiritually
sick, and physical sulfur cannot purge spiritual impurities, it follows that the sulfur in
this lake of fire is also being used symbolically. But the physical benefits of physical
sulfur used as a spiritual symbol of healing and purification is only the tip of the
iceberg. What is the real origin of this word brimstone (sulfur)? Let’s notice
carefully the first few times that brimstone is used in the Scriptures:
"Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon
Gomorrah BRIMSTONE and fire from the Lord out of heaven… And he [Abraham]
looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and,
lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace" (Gen. 19:24 &
28).
Now in this historical event there is nothing in
suggest that this destruction was figurative. No, it was a literal destruction, however,
it most certainly is a spiritual and symbolic message in this destruction for our
admonition TODAY!
"Now ALL these things happened unto them for
ensamples: and they are written for OUR admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are
come" (I Cor. 10:11).
Notice that this destruction of these cities comes
from God, but not only did God burn the cities, but the WHOLE PLAIN AND COUNTRY as well.
This destruction from the Lord was so complete that even the location of these cities is a
matter of conjecture to this day! But why the "brimstone?" Could God not destroy
these cities with fire ALONE? Why was there brimstone in this fire?
"So that the generation to come of your
children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land,
shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sickness which the Lord has
laid upon it; and that the WHOLE LAND thereof is BRIMSTONE, and salt, and burning, that it
is not sown, nor bears, nor any grass grows therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and
Gomorrah…" (Deut. 29:22-23).
Notice once again that this destruction comes from
the Lord and that it is a complete and total destruction so that even grass would not grow
on this land.
Half of the occurrences of the word brimstone in
Scripture are found in the book of Revelation. Every single time the word brimstone is
used in Scripture, its source is GOD out of heaven. Satan is NEVER connected with the use
of brimstone. Brimstone is as far removed from the nature of Satan as unrighteousness is
removed from the nature of God. Now then, what is brimstone, REALLY? Are you ready for
this? After all the centuries of rank paganism being interjected into God’s pure
Word, it’s time we blow the lid off of this heresy being published and preached by
the church around the world, blaspheming the very name and nature of our Great God!
ORIGIN OF THE WORD ‘BRIMSTONE’
Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament:
brimstone, #2303. theion. We are told that "Theion originally
denoted ‘fire from heaven.’" This word theion #2303 comes from the
Greek word theios #2304, of which we read the following:
Theios means :
(1) DIVINE, and is used
(1a) of THE POWER OF GOD (2 Pet. 1:3),
and
(1b) of HIS [GOD’S] NATURE, (2 Pet.
1:4), both of which proceed FROM HIMSELF.
(2) In Acts 17:29 it is used as a noun with the
definite article, to denote THE GODHEAD, THE DEITY, THE ONE TRUE GOD."
(Caps and underline emphasis are mine).
WOW! What a marvelous revelation of Spiritual Truth!
So, again, why is there brimstone in the lake of fire?" BECAUSE GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF
IS IN THIS FIRE! God IS this fire, this spiritual "CONSUMING FIRE" (Heb.
12:29). THIS FIRE IS NOT ONLY SPIRITUAL; IT IS DIVINE! THE LAKE OF FIRE IS DIVINE
SPIRITUAL FIRE FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN TO PURGE, PURIFY, CLEANSE, AND HEAL ALL IMPURITIES
OF ALL HUMANITY!!! Is this not the best news you’ve heard all day?
JESUS CHRIST DID NOT DIE ON THE CROSS, IN VAIN!
JESUS CHRIST WILL NOT FAIL TO SAVE THE WHOLE WORLD! JESUS CHRIST SO LOVED THE
"WORLD" THAT HE DIED FOR ITS SALVATION! JESUS CHRIST WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO
HIMSELF. JESUS CHRIST HAS BEEN GIVEN ALL POWER AND JUDGMENT IN BOTH HEAVEN AND EARTH.
EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, EVER TONGUE WILL CONFESS, EVERY PERSON WILL REPENT, EVERY MAN, WOMAN,
AND CHILD WILL BE PURGED AND PURIFIED BY GOD’S ALL CONSUMING DIVINE FIRE FROM
HEAVEN!
Make no mistake about it. It is by means of FIRE
that all mankind will ultimately be saved! God has spoken it:
"Every man’s work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by FIRE [God’s
DIVINE {spiritual} CONSUMING FIRE, Heb. 12:29] and the fire shall try every man’s
work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he has built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be BURNED, he shall suffer loss; but
HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; YET SO AS BY FIRE" (I Cor. 3:13-15)!!
You say, "I don’t believe it! We are saved
by GRACE, not FIRE." Does "fire" contradict "grace?" Does
"grace" contradict "fire?" NO, they do not contradict.
"For BY GRACE are you saved…" (Eph.
2:8).
How so?
"For the GRACE of God that brings SALVATION
has appeared to all men [but notice how it does something more in ADDITION to bringing
salvation], TEACHING [Greek: paideuo, TO TRAIN,
EDUCATE, DISCIPLINE, PUNISH, CHASTISE, LEARN, INSTRUCT. (P. 186, Strong’s Greek
Dictionary of the New Testament). Such words as "discipline,"
"punish," and "chastise," are great TRIALS that we are to go through
and endure. These things are not fun, but wearisome.
Peter has instructed us with the following wisdom:
"Who are kept by the power of God through
faith unto SALVATION [yes, and by ‘grace’] ready to be revealed in the
last time. Wherein you GREATLY REJOICE [rejoice, Yes, but also with a heavy heart],
though now for a season, if need be, you are IN HEAVINESS through MANIFOLD temptations [trials]:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes though
it [your faith] be TRIED WITH FIRE [fire is an important aspect
of saving grace], might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ" (I Peter 1:5-7).
Salvation involves the trying of our faith "with
FIRE." This Peter calls our "FIERY trial," "Beloved, think it
not strange [this is not some unusually or rare thing—we ALL must
go through it sooner or later] concerning the FIERY TRIAL which IS [certain] to
try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you [or you only]" (I
Peter 4:12).
But Peter is not speaking of literal fire, but
spiritual fire, God’s all CONSUMING spiritual fire. There was a reason for the
brimstone in the fire that destroyed Sodom and there is a reason for the brimstone that is
in the lake of fire judgment. Are we so na�ve as to think that God could not have
destroyed Sodom and the neighboring cities with fire alone? Was the brimstone necessary to
destroyed Sodom? Not only didn’t God need to use brimstone to destroy Sodom: He
didn’t even need to use fire. God could have just made Sodom DISAPPEAR! If Mrs.
O’Leary cow could burn down Chicago without any brimstone, but merely by knocking
over a lantern, surely God could have burned down Sodom as well without any brimstone.
Just as there are properties of "fire"
that God wants us to understand in the spiritual, there are properties of brimstone that
God wants us to understand in the spiritual! Can we not get it into our heads that GOD IS
SPIRIT and that all He is building and creating is SPIRITUAL. We will have SPIRITUAL
bodies, we are SPIRITUAL temples, we are to produce SPIRITUAL fruit, we will live in
SPIRITUAL Jerusalem, in SPIRITUAL Zion, in SPIRITUAL heaven, as members of a SPIRITUAL
kingdom, Headed by a SPIRIT GOD! The physical and natural will all pass away. The two laws
of thermodynamics are at work on every piece of matter in the physical universe.
EVERYTHING PHYSICAL is growing older, colder, and darker—it will all come to
an end one day. Let us learn another great and profound spiritual lesson from the
Scriptures.
FIRST THE PHYSICAL AND THEN THE SPIRITUAL
"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual,
but that which is natural [soulish, physical]; and AFTERWARD that which is spiritual"
(I Cor. 15:46).
But this is not what the church teaches. They teach
that first came the natural, the soulish, the physical, and AFTERWARD will come A BETTER
VERSION of the natural, the soulish, the physical! That is unscriptural nonsense. God is
not building a better version of our physical bodies. We will be given SPIRITUAL BODIES:
"There is one glory of the sun, and another
glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star
in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; [Adam was
destined to DIE from the time of his very creation:] "For the creation was made
subject to vanity, not willing, but by reason of Him Who has subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself [this certainly includes Adam] also shall be delivered
from the bondage of CORRUPTION…" Rom. 8:20-21. [Adam was created in
the ‘bondage of corruption’]; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in
dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is
sown a natural body; it is raised a SPIRITUAL BODY. And so it is written, The first man
Adam was made a living soul [subject to death and corruption]; the last Adam was
made a quickening SPIRIT [NOT subject to death or corruption]. Howbeit that was not
first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is
SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 15:42-46).
Make no mistake about it, what God is creating is
SPIRITUAL and eternal. But first He created the physical and the temporary. He has dealt
with the physical and temporary in the past, and will get do so in the future, but the
time will come when God will do away with physical things, and then all will be spiritual.
There was an OLD Covenant and now there is a NEW Covenant. The first was based solely on
the physical and temporary promises, whereas the second is based on SPIRITUAL AND
PERMANENT promises!
The reason there was "brimstone" in the
fire from heaven when God destroyed Sodom and the cities of the plain is that brimstone is
a purging and purifying agent. And brimstone means DIVINE! This purging of the plain of
these evil cities was a DIVINE purging fire from the God of heaven. God so "divinely
purged" those cities of the plain that their very location is a matter of speculation
for archeologists. To show God’s utter disdain for the sins of that land, God did not
merely destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities, but He rather WIPED THEM OFF
THE FACE OF THE EARTH! That land was then pure! It was fumigated. It was made white. It
was purged of every and all wickedness of its inhabitants. Poor Sodom. Are they lost
forever? Are all Sodomites right now burning in the fires of some fabled hell?
What do you suppose might have been the fate of
Sodom had Jesus preached His message there and performed His healing miracles there? We
don’t have to suppose or guess, because Jesus has already told us exactly what would
have happened if He had taught and healed in Sodom:
"And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto
heaven, shall be bought down to hell [Greek: hades the unseen]: for if the
mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, IT WOULD HAVE REMAINED
UNTIL THIS DAY" (Matt. 11:23).
So by Christ’s own words we have witness of the
fact that all it would have taken for Sodom to remain a city right down to our very
generation today, was some healings and miracles in their city (Luke 10:13)! Is a whole
race of people worth a few healings and miracles? Not according to the stupid and evil
doctrines of the church. They will tell you (if you corner them) that God opted for an
eternity of torture for the Sodomites rather than Salvation at the cost of a few healings
and miracles! No, Sodom is dead! But like all peoples of the world who have ever died
(both the righteous and the wicked), they will be resurrected back to life and will be
judged and purged in the loving, consuming, spiritual, divine fire of God.
Jesus did not come to eternally destroy the
Sodomites nor to torture them for eternity.
"The Lamb of God, which takes away the
SIN OF THE WORLD" (John 1:29).
"…we trust in the Living God, Who is
the Saviour of ALL MEN, specially of those that believe" (I Tim. 4:10).
It is just amazing to me how the Christian churches
rally around the state of Israel and its capital Jerusalem, as though Jerusalem is a
"holy city" to be adored and protected at all cost. A popular Jewish Christian
who appears on international television always closes his program by asking everyone to
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Let me ask candidly: "Are those prayers
being answered?" Turn on your TV or look at this morning’s newspaper and then
tell me if these prayers are being answered!
Is the orthodox religion of Judaism the way to
God’s heart? Is this the one religion by which men can be saved WITHOUT Christ? Well,
according to one famous and rich international evangelist, the answer is YES! Christless
Judaism is a means to salvation.
Oh really?
"Neither is there salvation in any other;
for there is none other name [that name is JESUS] under heaven given among men,
whereby we MUST be saved" (Acts 4:12).
It is one thing to be anti-Semitic (which, of
course, is wrong, and for all I know I may be a Jew myself), but quite another thing to
suggest that God is well pleased with the state of Israel, or its capital, Jerusalem, or
its dominant religion, Judaism. Maybe here is the time for a little reality check
concerning this matter of Jerusalem and the state of Israel. Israel probably has the
highest per-capita Christ-rejecting people in the western world (if we might include them
in the western world). Did you know that the future salvation of Jerusalem is directly
connected to and contingent upon the resurrection, restoration, and salvation of SODOM?
Even if you are a "Preterist" and believe
that everything in the book of Revelation has already been completely fulfilled by the end
of the first century AD (which it clearly has not), you will still have to acknowledge
God’s attitude toward Jerusalem both historically and prophetically as recorded in
His Word. As these things I am about to show you in God’s Word are not generally
taught anywhere in the world of Christendom. Let me caution you that what I am about to
show you is not a pretty picture. Parental discretion is definitely advised for any minors
reading the next section of this paper.
First, let us see what God Himself calls Jerusalem:
"And their dead bodies shall lie in the
street of the great city, which spiritually is called [remember that the
spiritual is more real and significant than the physical and literal] SODOM AND EGYPT,
where also our Lord was crucified [our Lord was crucified in JERUSALEM]"
(Rev. 11:8).
So God Himself calls Jerusalem "Sodom and
Egypt." Not exactly an accolade of spiritual endearment. So prophetically God
calls Jerusalem, Sodom and Egypt. How does God view Jerusalem historically leading up to
this shameful appellation of "Sodom and Egypt?"
"Again the word of the Lord came unto me,
saying, Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her ABOMINATIONS" (Ezek. 16:1).
Throughout chapter 16, God likens Jerusalem as a
young virgin bride that He takes to Himself:
"Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon
you, behold your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered
your nakedness: yes, I swore unto you and entered into a covenant with you, saith the Lord
God, and YOU BECAME MINE" (Verse 8).
"And I put a jewel on your forehead, and
earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head. Thus were you decked with
gold and silver; and your raiment was of fine line, and silk, and broidered work; you
didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and you were exceeding beautiful, and you did
prosper into a kingdom. And your renown went forth among the heathen for they beauty: for
it was PERFECT through my comeliness, which I had put upon you, says the Lord God" (Verses
12-14).
Was Jerusalem thankful to God? Did Jerusalem worship
and adore God as a Perfect Husband? No:
"But you did trust in YOUR OWN beauty, and
PLAYED THE HARLOT because of your renown and poured out your FORNICATIONS on everyone that
passed by … and played the HARLOT … and did commit WHOREDOM with them … Is
this of your WHOREDOMS a small matter … And in all your ABOMINATIONS and your
WHOREDOMS you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare,
and was polluted in your blood. And it came to pass after all your WICKEDNESS (WOE, WOE
unto you! Saith the Lord God … opened your feet [spread your legs] to every
one that passed by and MULTIPLIED YOUR WHOREDOMS. You have also committed FORNICATION WITH
THE EGYPTIANS your neighbours … You have played the WHORE also with the Assyrians
… You have moreover multiplied your FORNICATION in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea
… How weak is your heart, saith the Lord God, seeing you do all these things, the
work of an IMPERIOUS [a female fox, arrogant, malicious] WHORISH WOMAN … as a
wife that commits ADULTERY, which takes strangers [heathen religions and gods] instead
of her husband [God] … but you give your gifts to ALL WHORES; but you give
your gifts [of sexual favors] to ALL YOUR LOVERS, and hire them, that they may come
unto you on every side for your WHOREDOM" (Verses 15-32).
God is not pleased with His harlot wife, and
pronounces terrible woes upon her:
JERUSALEM’S SPIRITUAL SISTER IS SODOM
"Wherefore, O HARLOT, hear the word of the
Lord: Thus saith the Lord God; Because your FILTHLINESS was poured out, and your NAKEDNESS
discovered through your WHOREDOMS with your lovers, and with all the IDOLS OF YOUR
ABOMINATIONS…"
Etc., etc. (Verses 35-36). But it gets WORSE:
"thou art your mother’s daughter, that
LOATHES her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, which
loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an
Amorite. And your elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at your left
hand: and your younger sister, that dwells at your right hand, is SODOM and her
daughters." (Verse 45-46).
JERUSALEM IS FAR WORSE THAN THE VERY WORST
"Yet have you not walked after their ways, nor
done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, YOU WERE
CORRUPTED MORE THAN THEY IN ALL YOUR WAYS. As I live, says the Lord God,
Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as YOU [Jerusalem] HAVE
DONE, you and your daughters" (Verses 47-48).
"Neither has Samaria committed half of your
sins; but you have MULTIPLIED YOUR ABOMINATIONS MORE THAN THEY, and have justified your
sisters in all YOUR ABOMINATIONS which you have done. You also, which have judged your
sisters, bear your own shame for your sins that YOU HAVE COMMITTED MORE ABOMINABLE THAN
THEY: they are MORE RIGHTEOUS [imagine God saying that Sodom is ‘more
righteous’ than Jerusalem?] than you" (Verse 52).
What do you imagine would happen to me if I were to
stand up in one of the international churches that supports Israel and Jerusalem and even
teaches that they can be saved WITHOUT Jesus Christ, and I told them that the wicked City
State of Sodom WAS MORE RIGHTEOUS than Jerusalem, Israel? On second thought, don’t
imagine it.
OH the deceitfulness of the church! I have heard two
messages on international television this week wherein Jerusalem was mentioned again as
God’s chosen city of His chosen people, and how we must back Israel and Jerusalem.
This corrupt city is praised and praised daily by the church as though God just really
does love this corrupt city with their corrupt religion! God HATES what is going on in
Jerusalem and Israel. God is NOT blessing Jerusalem. God is NOT protecting Jerusalem.
There is NO PEACE in Jerusalem. God certainly loves the people of Jerusalem, but they have
some deep deep repentance ahead of them. OPEN YOUR EYES! Where have you ever read anywhere
in the Bible such condemnation on ANYONE as we have just read regarding Jerusalem? OH how
the church applauds Jerusalem, when the reality is that their sins are reaching to high
heaven.
Recently 60 Minutes presented a documentary on how
Russian girls are being sold around the world as full-time live-in harlots. Thousands of
Russian girls are being sold for sex slaves (and many by their own will for a better
financial life). Well it just so happens that there is a location that acts as a
clearinghouse for brokering these girls around the world. Just where do you suppose that
brokering center is located? Would you believe, JERUSALEM?
This past week one of the news channels covered a
huge gathering of homosexuals. They had a bandstand set up like rock stars have from which
they paraded their cross-dressing transvestite regalia and paraphernalia. Speeches were
made regarding homosexual life styles, etc. Where do you suppose this meeting was being
held? Los Angeles? New York? San Francisco? NO! JERUSALEM!
There is a reason why God goes into such detail and
allots so much space in His Word for such small cities as Sodom and Jerusalem. They were
but the fore-runners of a much larger deception of the same ilk! This same HARLOT system
permeates the world today through a huge organization and worldwide work.
"And there came one of the seven angels
which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show
unto you the judgment of the GREAT WHORE that sits upon many waters [not just one city
or one people, but MANY WATERS OF NATIONS AND PEOPLES]: With whom the kings of the
earth have committed FORNICATION, and the inhabitants of the EARTH [the ENTIRE WORLD!]
have been made DRUNK WITH THE WINE OF HER FORNICATION" (Rev. 17:1-2)!
Take another look at what you have just read!
According to the Word of God, there is to come (and has already come as we speak) a
WORLDWIDE ORGANIZATION that will spread her spiritual whoredom and fornication AROUND THE
ENTIRE INHABITED EARTH and will make ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH DRUNK on the
spiritual intoxicating wine of her doctrine! And what is the name God gives this system of
spiritual whoredom? Let’s read it:
"And the woman [woman represents a
church in Scripture] WAS ARRAYED IN PURPLE AND SCARLET COLOUR, AND DECKED WITH GOLD AND
SILVER AND PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS [this church is not poor] and a golden cup in
her hand full of ABOMINATIONS AND FILTHINESS OF HER FORNICATION." Gee, sounds
like the exact description of the harlot woman in Ezekiel 16, doesn’t it? (Rev.
17:4-5): "And upon her forehead was a name written,
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"
This church system is the apex, the zenith, the
epitome of ALL THAT IS DECEITFUL, AND WICKED!
IT ALL BEGAN AT BABEL
This world’s counterfeit religious and
political systems began at BABEL (Babylon).
"And the whole earth was of one language
… they found a plain in the land of Shinar [Iraq--Babylon] … And they
said, Go to, let us build us a CITY and a tower … and let us make us a NAME, lest we
be scattered abroad upon the face of the WHOLE EARTH … And the Lord came down to see
the city … Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language … So the
Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the FACE OF ALL THE EARTHY…" (Gen.
11:1-9).
God confounded their languages and He scattered them
over the face of all the earth, but they took their rebellious, self-centered, godless
religion and government WITH THEM.
Have we forgotten how that later mankind once again
regrouped under one central government? There was a time in ancient history when officials
gather the educated and scholars from around the world, and once again shared
philosophies, religions, laws, sciences, and other academia at a central location which
they would then once more take back to their respective countries and share, worldwide?
And what was that great nation called? That’s right, BABYLON! But that great
Gold-Headed Kingdom also came crashing down under the Medes and the Persians. Well guess
what? Babylon is rising once more. This time God calls it:
"MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF
HARLOTS, AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Rev. 17:5).
Notice that this Great Whore is a "mother of
harlots." She is a mother who has harlots for daughters. This is the very same thing
that we read in Ezekiel 16: 48,
"As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy
sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you [Jerusalem] has done, YOU [Jerusalem—a
MOTHER] and your DAUGHTERS."
Any woman who has "daughters" is of
necessity, a "mother."
Now for a real shocker! From where does God
call HIS people? The answer shocked me.
"BABYLON THE GREAT is fallen, is
fallen… For ALL NATIONS have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication …
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come OUT of her, MY PEOPLE
that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues" (Rev.
18:2-4)!
Wow! Can you believe it? God calls HIS PEOPLE,
HIS SAINTS, HIS ELECT, HIS CHURCH, OUT OF "MYSTERY
BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"!! That’s
where the Apostles came from, that’s where Paul came from, that’s where the
small persecuted church down through the ages came from, that where every believer I know
came from, and that’s where I came from. I, in fact, followed and obeyed several of
her harlots in the process of coming out of Babylon. I was no better than the worst of
sinners. It is only by God’s grace that we are able to escape this system. And God
will continue to call His elect out of that very system until He destroys it in His
presence.
So clearly, the Mother Whore Jerusalem has HARLOT
DAUGHTERS! And of the great religious system spoken of in Revelation 17 we also clearly
see that MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, is a Mother Whore of Harlot Daughters! One has to be
spiritually blind as a bat to not see that when we compare "Spiritual with
spiritual," these two are a "spiritual MATCH!" More proof:
The one True Church of the Living God has a
"Father" and a "Mediator—Jesus Christ." But does God’s
Church have a "Mother?" Ah, Yes, it surely does:
"For it is written, that Abraham had two
sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was
born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory
[a representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters] for these are the
TWO COVENANTS; the one from the mount Sinai, which genders to bondage, which is Agar. For
this Agar IS [now a metaphor—‘is like, in certain ways’] mount Sinai
in Arabia, and answers to JERUSALEM which NOW IS [at the time Paul wrote this and
continues to this day] and is in BONDAGE with her children. But Jerusalem which is
ABOVE ["The HEAVENLY JERUSALEM" Heb. 12:22] is free, which
is THE MOTHER OF US ALL" (Gal. 4:22-26).
What amazing Scriptures these are. The New Covenant
Church of the Living God has a MOTHER—HEAVENLY JERUSALEM ABOVE. And the giant Old
Covenant Whore Church also has a mother—EARTHLY JERUSALEM BELOW. The New is FREE,
whereas the Old is in BONDAGE. But how can I say that the Old Covenant Church is
"huge?" Aren’t there only a relatively few orthodox Jews around the world
who keep the "Old" Covenant? No, there are BILLIONS of people who keep the
"Old" Covenant around the world. There are almost no Christians that understand
and keep the "New" Covenant. To the world of Christendom, the Old Covenant IS
THE NEW COVENANT! The New Covenant is merely keeping the Old Covenant, BETTER! That’s
right. To most, the New Covenant consists of keeping the Old Covenant, better. They say
that they now keep the Old Covenant "in the spirit." Just how, pray tell, does
one keep the "physical" in the "spirit?"
Such a doctrine is utter unscriptural contradictory
nonsense. You cannot keep the "physical" in the "spirit." THERE IS NO
SPIRIT IN THE PHYSICAL, SO HOW COULD ONE ‘KEEP IT’ IF IT DOESN’T EXIST? We
are all born with a physical [carnal] mind. It is possible to keep physical [carnal] laws
with a physical carnal mind (Paul did it to near perfection when he was Saul!). But one
CANNOT keep God’s spiritual laws with a physical carnal mind!
"Because the carnal [natural physical]
mind is enmity [deep seated HATRED] AGAINST God; for it is NOT subject to the [spiritual]
law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).
"For to be carnally minded is DEATH; but to
be spiritually minded is LIFE and peace" (Rom. 8:6).
Let’s be sure that we are perfectly clear on
these Scriptural facts:
Paul said that there ARE RIGHT NOW, TWO
Jerusalem’s in existence.
One answers to the New Covenant, which is HEAVENLY
JERUSALEM ABOVE.
One answers to the Old Covenant, which is EARTHLY
JERUSALEM IN ISRAEL.
If you think that you can spiritually keep the
physical laws of Moses, then your mother is the Old Covenant which answers to "Jerusalem
which now is—IN BONDAGE."
But if you are keeping God’s spiritual laws
through the spirit of God, then your mother is "Heavenly Jerusalem ABOVE which
is—FREE."
Of course the fact that Jerusalem is TWICE as wicked
and abominable as Sodom does not in any way justify the sins of Sodom. No, God will deal
with both Jerusalem and Sodom. And that is the whole point of this discussion. So even
though the sins of Jerusalem are twice as abominable as the sins of Sodom, God will,
nonetheless, SAVE JERUSALEM! And just when will God save Jerusalem? AT THE SAME TIME THAT
HE SAVES SODOM. Yes, Sodom WILL BE SAVED, and she will be saved at the same time that
doubly corrupt and abominable Jerusalem will be saved. Now least anyone think that I
harbor ill feelings toward Jerusalem for writing these things, let me make it abundantly
clear where these things came from. It is GOD, and not I, Who calls Jerusalem, Sodom and
Egypt, and not only historically, but prophetically as well.
"When your sisters, SODOM and her daughters,
shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return
to their former estate, then THOU [JERUSALEM] and thy daughters shall return
to YOUR former estate" (Verse 55).
"Then you shall remember your ways, and be
ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your elder [Samaria] and your younger
[SODOM]: and I will give them [Samaria and Sodom] unto you for
daughters, but not by your covenant. And I will establish my covenant with you; and you
shall KNOW [for the first time] that I am the Lord: That you may
remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame,
when I am PACIFIED [make atonement, to pardon, to placate, to cover, to condone] TOWARD
THEE [Jerusalem AND her sisters, Samaria and Sodom] for all that you have done,
saith the Lord God" (Verses 61-63).
When God purges the hearts and minds of the wicked
with His all-consuming spiritual fire, they will be UTTERLY ASHAMED! Notice what God says
in Revelation 14:10 regarding anyone who is a part of this one world religious system:
"The same shall drink of the wine of the
wrath of God [seeing that "For ALL nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of HER fornication…" Rev. 18:3], which is poured out without
mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented [UTTERLY
ASHAMED—spiritual and mental torment] with the fire and brimstone [God DIVINE
spiritual fire] in the presence of the holy angels, and in THE PRESENCE OF THE LAMB"
(Rev. 14:10).
They are going to have to face their sins and
wickedness and hypocrisy, NOT in the presence of GOD ALMIGHTY, but in the presence of "the
LAMB!" How embarrassing and shameful it will be for all those being
purged in the God’s spiritual consuming lake of fire to see and acknowledge their
whole life of sin in the very presence of the Lamb of God Who DIED FOR THEM! Every
heart in the universe will melt like snow in a furnace when they face the LAMB OF GOD in
their judgment!
So, is Sodom right now suffering in some fabled hell
fires? NO. Is Jerusalem of old right now suffering in some fabled hell fires? NO. Will
Sodom and Jerusalem be saved TOGETHER? YES, in the second resurrection, at the white
throne judgment, in the lake of fire. The lake of divine spiritual fire will bring
salvation to ALL THE NATIONS! "…but he himself [whomever of the billions
of people purged in God’s spiritual fire] shall be SAVED; yet so as BY [God’s
spiritual consuming] FIRE"! (I Cor. 3:15).
Remember that there are two administrations of
God’s purging fire: The first is on the House of God consisting of those whom God is
calling to be overcomers and sons of God. The second will be at the second resurrection
and white throne judgment in the lake of God’s divine purging fire. All the children
of the bondwoman, the Old Covenant, the Mother Whore with her harlot daughters, will one
day be the children of Heavenly Jerusalem Above, which is the MOTHER OF US ALL!
God truly is NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS. GOD IS ABLE
TO BRING ANY PERSON TO REPENTANCE. How could anyone deny it? There is no such thing as a
person being so evil that he cannot be converted by the spirit of God. But God has a
timetable, and He will follow that timetable. There is great wisdom in what God does and
how He does it and when He does it and to whom He does.
If you have never experienced COMING OUT of Babylon
the Great, then maybe you are being called to respond to God’s plea: "Come
OUT of her MY PEOPLE." It is a great and wonderful thing to be called by God at
this time to be prepared as the very SONS OF THE LIVING GOD to bring salvation to the rest
of the world and the entirety of the universe!
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November 5th, 2008 at 3:10 am
Thank you for your website
I made on photoshop backgrounds for myspace and youtube and ect..
my backgrounds: http://tinyurl.com/6r7cav
Hope you had a good day and thank you again!