The Kingdom of God is at hand: Repent Ye and Believe the Gospel. Read more...

• God Commands All Men Every Where to Repent - It’s interesting to note that the Greek word rendered as “repenteth” and “repentance” is metanoeo (G3340), signifying a “change of mind or understanding”. Notice how verse 7 in Luke 15 makes the point that there are those who identify with the “… ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance”. Everyone in this category is merely “self-righteous” and have not been saved. It is the deluded, prideful expression of the Pharisee in Luke 18:11 as well. They do not understand their own sinfulness. Sadly, this is the essence of mankind’s fallen nature. We are sinful by birth, by nature, and by inheritance, as we learn from Rom 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”. Furthermore, 1 John 1:8 reminds us: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”. Deception is indeed the core foundation for all sin, and its roots go down very deep into the darkest chambers of our hearts. Sin also enslaves, as Jesus explained to the religious leaders of His day in John 8:34: “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin”. Because man is spiritually dead, he will never of his own accord repent in a manner that is biblical. Rom 3:10-18 presents both a penetrating and convicting glimpse into the depths of an unbelievers heart. And Pro 30:12 further adds, “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness”. A good example of the difference between the so-called “righteous” and “sinners” is found in the parable of Luke 18:9-14. In this very revealing passage we see that the publican’s estimation of himself was that he was indeed “the sinner”. Wonderfully, Christ’s mission was to redeem those who are spiritually diseased, as Mark 2:17 so beautifully affirms: “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. Proclaiming his own righteousness, the Pharisee did not recognize the truth of Luke 16:15: “And he [Jesus] said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts ...”. Though multitudes of people seemingly pray and ask God for salvation (or mercy), we must understand that only those who are God’s elect will do so on God’s terms – that is, according to God’s Word, the Bible. Mat 9:13 declares, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. Wonderfully, Christ came to this world seeking sinners. 

Rom 3:10-18 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Eze 18:30-31 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”

Acts 17:30-31 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man [Jesus] whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

• The Kingdom of God is at hand: Repent Ye - In 2 Cor 7:10, God is differentiating between “godly sorrow” (or repentance) and the “sorrow of the world” (or remorse) and , “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death”. We see in the historical context the literal fulfillment of “…the sorrow of the world worketh death” in Mat 27:3-5, because Judas committed suicide. However, this verse is not speaking about physical death but eternal death – eternal damnation in Hell. This is what the Lord Jesus was underscoring in Mat 26:24 when referring to Judas, “The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe [judgment] unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born”. Remorse is caused by conscience – God’s law written on all of our hearts (Rom 2:14-15). In Heb 12:16-17, we see Esau demonstrated remorse or regret – not genuine repentance at what he had done. “Godly sorrow” is a gift from God and has everything to do with salvation which produces, or causes, genuine repentance because it is the work of God in the hearts of His chosen people. Take note that salvation is a matter of the heart, or soul, or mind (all three are used interchangeably in the Bible): “And he [Jesus] said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts ...” (Luke 16:15). Only God can create a new eternal soul, or “new heart”, and make a “new creature” of a person, as we read in Eze 36:26-27: “A new heart also will I [God] 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 ye shall keep my judgments, and do them”. God must draw the elect to Himself and grant them repentance, spiritual understanding, faith to trust Him, and a capacity to love and obey Him. This is why God must initiate and complete the entire work of salvation in each one of His chosen sheep. In Jon 3:4 God commanded Jonah to preach a simple message to Ninevites, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown”. Keep in mind that Nineveh was a pagan culture – an enemy of Israel – that knew very little of the Bible, or the God of creation. How could it be that the King of Nineveh would be so remarkably compelled to issue the following proclamation to all of the 120,000 inhabitants of the city, as Jon 3:5-9 acknowledges: “... let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way ...”. Undoubtedly, this has to be one of the most dramatic examples of salvation recorded in the Bible! Such genuine conversion can only be attributed to God’s incomparable mercy, as Acts 5:30-31 proclaims: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel (Israel of God, or in other words believers), and forgiveness of sins”.

Luke 15:7, 10: “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance… Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Luke 18:9-14 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Jon 3:4-9 “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”

• The Kingdom of God is at hand: Believe the Gospel - God commands mankind to repent, believe as Mark 1:14-15 attests, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel”. Prior to salvation everyone is spiritually blind and under Satan’s authority, as 2 Cor 4:4 indicates: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”. Salvation occurs when God shines the light of the true Gospel into the souls of those He came to save and dispels the spiritual darkness. Notice the sequence of events in Jon 3:5: “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them”. They first believed – everything else followed that. And we know that to believe is to have faith, and the faith related to salvation is a gift from God, according to Eph 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ...”. Thus repentance and good works are the result of salvation – not the cause. Notice how the word “meekness” in 2 Tim 2:25 can result from God’s granting repentance (or a change of mind) as a result of salvation, “… if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth”. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is totally by God’s sovereign grace, love and mercy; and those three elements – along with everything else associated with salvation – are unearned gifts from God to His people. We also learn from 2 Pet 2:5 that Noah was not only a recipient of God’s righteousness, but also a preacher of that same righteousness: “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly”. We believers are recipients of the Gospel as God applies His Word to our hearts by spiritual “hearing”, gives us faith, and causes us to obey the Gospel. One of the characteristics of those who have received salvation will be a willingness to be faithful in declaring (as well as in obeying) God’s Word. Then we are suppliers of the Gospel as we declare the Gospel to others and God draws more of His elect to Himself. If we, indeed, are those who “obey the Gospel”, we definitely “shall be saved” at the end of our lives when we receive our glorified, spiritual and eternal bodies at the resurrection of the Last Day. 

Matt 3:1-2 “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matt 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mark 6:12 “And they [disciples] went out, and preached that men should repent.”

2 Tim 2:24-26 “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

Acts 11:16-18 “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

Rom 10:13-17 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

• God is Longsuffering to Us-ward, Not Willing that Any should Perish - How can it be then that the Holy God who destroyed the world of Noah’s day has not destroyed us? How can it be that the God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah has not yet destroyed us? Why does God wait? Why not destroy this sin cursed earth along with the whole band of rebellious sinners that take great pleasure in their evil deeds? 2 Pet 3:9 gives the answer, God “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. He is waiting for the last of His elect to become saved. He is not willing that “any” of His chosen people should perish. But He will put up with man and his scoffing and his sins until He draws that last sinner to Himself. God gives us the flood as the example of His longsuffering, patience near the end of the world in 1 Pet 3:20. What was God waiting for in the days of Noah? He was waiting for the ark to be prepared, which resulted in the salvation of Noah’s house hold: “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water” (1 Pet 3:20). What is God waiting for today? He is waiting for the house of God to be completed. He is waiting for the last living stone to be inserted into the New Jerusalem. Turn back to 2 Pet 3:15; and we will see without question that the sun has risen today ONLY BECAUSE THE LAST OF GOD’S ELECT HAVE NOT BEEN SAVED: “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;” The Greek word translated as “leadeth” (ago:G71) in “… the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance (synonymous with salvation)” in Rom 2:4 emphasizes God’s sovereign power and grace to save His elect people, as 2 Pet 3:9 teaches, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”. God is merciful to His elect and saves them because of His goodness; and He works all things “together for good” in their lives, as we read in Rom 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. As I mentioned earlier, repentance has to do with a “change of mind”. When a person becomes a child of God he is transformed spiritually, as Rom 12:2 instructs, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. And Tit 3:5 declares, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”. Php 1:6 states, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. 

2 Pet 3:3-7 “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

2 Pet 3:8-9 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Satan's Ministers as the Ministers of Righteousness. Read more...

• Ye are of Your Father the Devil, the Liar - We read about the basic nature of Satan, “he is a liar, and the father of it [the lie]”. In John 8:44, Lord Jesus addressed the religious leaders of His day as “Ye are of your father the devil”, though in the larger context, this verse is directed to all who are without a Savior. The Greek word for “worketh” in Eph 2:2 is similar to our English word “energy” and conveys the idea of “working in”, “operating”, or “energizing” the unsaved: “Wherein in time past ye [believers] walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience [unsaved]” . “Worketh” is also employed in Php 2:13 with reference to the work of God in His children’s lives: “For it is God which worketh in you [saved] both to will and to do of his good pleasure”. Eph 2:2 reveals that all who are unsaved are under the spiritual domination of Satan, who is called “the prince of the power of the air”, also called “the prince of this world” in John 14:30: “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world [Satan] cometh, and hath nothing in me” , and “the god of this world” in 2 Cor 4:4 whose goal is to blind the minds of the unsaved to the Gospel: “In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God [Jesus], should shine unto them”. Moreover, in John 8:23 Jesus pointed this out to the religious leaders of His day, “ye are of this world; I am not of this world”. 1 Cor 2:14 describes the unredeemed “natural man”, as the one that cannot receive “the things of the Spirit of God” because “they are spiritually discerned”. On the other hand, in 1 Cor 2:12 we read of the saved born-again believers, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God”, and are made able to “know the things of God”.

John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil [Satan], and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie [the lie], he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it [the lie].”

John 8:23 “And he [Jesus] said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.”

1 Cor 2:14 “But the natural man [unsaved] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1 Cor 2:12 “Now we [saved] have received, not the spirit of the world [of Satan], but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God”

• All Men are Liars - The usual dictionary definition of “truth” is “conforming to reality or actuality” and man can only make inaccurate guesses at what “reality” is with his limited knowledge. Now, man’s definition of lying is “deliberately making a false statement with the intention of deceiving someone”, which is really the opposite of honesty. However, according to God’s standard of Absolute Truth, and since the Bible is the Absolute Truth, then anything we say that is contrary to the Bible – the True Gospel – is a lie. Because we do not know the Absolute Truth about anything, that makes all men liars by nature: “The wicked [unsaved] are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies” (Psa 58:3). Even if a Bible teacher ignorantly teaches a wrong(or erroneous) doctrine, he is lying. For example, those who teach that human beings can somehow contribute to their salvation are lying – no matter how sincerely and fervently they believe they are teaching truth. Rom 3:4 also reiterates: “God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged”. And God tells us that the fate of all unsaved liars is the “lake of fire”, as we read in Rev 21:7-8: “... all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”. Just as there are many counterfeit “gospels” all over the world, there are also many counterfeit “Christians” within every congregation who claim to be saved – usually because of some effort on their part – but have not become “born from above”. Many embrace Christianity because they were born into or grew up in a family or culture that was part of a denomination, sect or cult that claimed an affiliation with Christ and the Bible. However, we see in John 1:13 that true believers are those who are “born of God” and “not of blood” (or man’s special bloodline or genealogy), “nor of the will of the flesh” (man’s natural procreation or heredity), “nor of the will of man” (man’s freewill, or individual or governmental endeavors, or works). Thus, God does all the work of salvation, and man’s efforts play no role whatsoever. In actuality, the “laborers” in Luke 10:2: “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few”, are the ones whom God has redeemed and set apart to be His ambassadors (2 Cor 5:17-20). Sadly, there have always been those who masquerade as God’s servants, who are still in Satan’s kingdom and are his unwitting ambassadors. This phenomenon is even more pernicious in our day.

John 1:12-13 “But as many as received [as in recipients] him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

2 Cor 5:17-20 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us [born-again believers] the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

• Satan’s Ministers as the Ministers of Righteousness - In order to maintain his hold on mankind, Satan works feverishly at his main objective, which is that of deceiving mankind with false gospels to keep them from hearing the Truth. As we approach the Last Day when the Lord Jesus Christ will return, Satan will be actively deceiving many unsaved churchgoers who profess to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. He accomplishes that primarily by keeping people in bondage to various religions and false gospels and using his lying human “ministers of righteousness”, as we read in 2 Cor 11:13-15: “... false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ ...”. Although there have always been false brethren in God’s earthly, institutional churches, the proliferation of today’s [end of times] worldly false gospels tends to increase the percentage of false brethren, or nominal Christians, within the various congregations. This expands the worldly influence in the churches and accelerates the worldwide “falling away” from the True Gospel, or apostasy, that is so much in evidence at the present time: “... that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first ...” (2 The 2:3). The popularity of most false gospels can generally be attributed to their appeals to man’s pride and basic sensual desires for political freedom, economic security and good health. Although they are spiritually dead, some of these unsaved churchgoers seek to teach others their unbiblical ideas about spiritual matters; but it is a very dangerous thing to be an unsaved, self-proclaimed “teacher” of the Scriptures. In Jam 3:1 God indicates there will be a “greater condemnation” in Hell for those hypocrites who handle His Word carelessly: “My brethren, be not many masters [teachers], knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”

2 The 2:3-4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he [Satan] as God sitteth in the temple of God [congregation], shewing himself that he is God.”

Isa 14:12-15 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God [believers]: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

2 Cor 11:13-15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Gal 2:3-5 “But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 4And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

Rev 19:20 “And the beast [Satan] was taken, and with him the false prophet [his ministers] that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Satan Himself is Transformed into an Angel of Light. Read more...

• The Truth-God and His Word - God and His Word are Characterized by Truth. Absolute Truth is the very nature of God and His Word. The Lord Jesus Christ said that He is the Truth (John 14:6), that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13), and that God’s Word is Truth (John 17:17). In fact, the Bible is the Gospel of Christ, which is the Truth of God’s salvation program. Philosophers have struggled with the concept of “truth” for thousands of years, and in John 18:37-38 Pontius Pilate reflected man’s confusion about it when he said, “What is truth?”. If we try to go beyond God’s revelations about “God’s salvation program” – no matter how “logical” we try to be – we quickly get into “error” (or “falsehood”), which is the opposite of Truth. The only way we can come to Truth about any Biblical subject is by carefully comparing Scripture with Scripture. The main theme of the entire Bible is God’s salvation program – the Gospel – and “The Gospel” is synonymous with “The Truth”. One thing we can say with absolute certainty is that God created this universe and put His salvation plan into motion on this earth for His glory and honor, based on what God declares in His Word.

John 18:37-38 “Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.”

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 14:17 “Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

• The Lie and The Liar-Satan and His Word - Satan and His Word are Characterized by Lie. Biblical notion is that all sin is based on deceit, or based on a lie. Deceit is the opposite of truth and is, therefore, the opposite of the Word of Truth, the Bible. Sin first reared its ugly head in the least likely of places – a perfect environment where two individuals who had been created perfectly by God and in His image existed in perfect fellowship with their Maker. Unfortunately, this idyllic situation was short-lived as their Creator presented them with a test, which they tragically failed, as “the serpent [Satan] beguiled Eve through his subtilty”, as we read in Gen 3:11-14. At the very onset we see how rapidly and to what extent sin manifested itself in the form of lies, and blaming others in verse Gen 3:13. The deceptiveness of sin affected every human being born after Adam and Eve as Rom 5:12 explains. Satan acquired control of this present universe by default, and became our spiritual father, owing to the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. In John 8:44, Jesus declares “Ye are of your father the devil” and contrasts “the lie” with “the truth”. The most fundamental deception of sin denies the very existence of sin itself. 2 Cor 4:3-4 gives us more insight.

Gen 3:11-14 “And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.”

Rom 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

John 8:42-45 “Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil [Satan], and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie [or the lie], he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it [or the lie]. 45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.”

Eph 2:1-5 “And you [believers] hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)”

Tit 3:3-6 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”

2 Cor 11:3 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

2 Cor 2:11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

2 Cor 4:3-4 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

• False Gospels are Characterized by Error - We know from earlier studies that Old Testament Israel was an earthly representative of the Kingdom of God and served as a type, or figure, of the New Testament institutional churches and denominations that also were earthly representatives of the Kingdom of God during the Church Age. Thus, it is important to understand what happened to ancient Israel, in order to relate those events to how God is dealing with the churches of our day. For example, in the following Old Testament passage God warned Ancient Israel not to turn away from drinking the pure, life-giving water of the Truth of God and imbibing the spiritual wine and strong drink of the erroneous and deceptive doctrines of salvation based on the faulty reasoning of men, which leads to the fire of God’s eternal wrath. God says “woe” unto those who indulge in that kind of spiritual foolishness and drunkenness and uses Ancient Israel in Isa 5:20-22 as an example of what is happening in our day as Satan has been loosed to “deceive the nations” (as we read about in Rev 20:3). Just as the Old Testament Israelites were overcome by error and apostasy, so too were the New Testament churches; and there is now a great “falling away” from the True Gospel, as we read in 2 The 2:3-4. The word “woe” in the verses we just read from Isaiah 5 is a pronouncement of judgment, and later God brought about the destruction of Ephraim by the Assyrians. The Southern Kingdom of Judah suffered the same fate due to their apostasy and rebellion. “The lie” is contrasted with “the truth” in 2 The 2:9-12, which is speaking about God’s judgment on the institutional churches and denominations during the Great Tribulation period.

1 Cor 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them [ancient Israel] for ensamples [types]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Isa 5:20-22 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! 22Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink [deceptive doctrines]:”

2 The 2:3-4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the day of Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasia:G646] first, and that man of sin [Satan] be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God [the institutional churches], showing himself that he is God.”

2 The 2:9-12 “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie [or the lie]: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

• Satan is a Counterfeit Christ - Sin was not simply confined to the human race, but occurred among the spirit beings as well either prior to, or simultaneously with, the fall of man. Satan’s rebellion with the sin of pride and subsequent defeat at the Cross is outlined in Isa 14:12-15. God allowed Satan to deceive Eve, and Adam, consenting, followed her example of eating the “forbidden fruit”. Satan’s cunning is never to be underestimated, as we see from 2 Cor 11:14-15. He comes with false gospels that are so close to the truth, he comes with Scripture in a wrong manner, uses the Bible in such a way as to cast doubt upon the very character of God, that even the elect could be deceived if it were possible (Matt 24:24). 1 Pet 5:8 alerts us to Lucifer’s tactics that have been honed by use throughout the history of the world: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”. However, Satan’s greatest deception is at work now in the end times. 2 Cor 11:14-15 warns about Satan’s deceptive show as an imitator of Christ. We read that he comes as “an angel [or messenger] of light” with his counterfeit “ministers of righteousness” and he sits in “the temple of God [the institutional churches], shewing himself that he is God” (2 The 2:3-4). Rev 12:7-10 predicts the Devil’s ultimate defeat (which in principle occurred at the Cross).

Gen 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Isa 14:12-15 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

Luke 10:18 “And he [Jesus] said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”

2 Cor 11:13-15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

2 The 2:2-4 “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin [Satan] be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God [the institutional churches], shewing himself that he is God.”

Rev 12:7-10 “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Lo, Here is Christ, or There; Believe it Not. Read more...

• Lo, Here is Christ, or There; Believe it Not… - The Lord Jesus makes an important point in Luke 17, verse 20: “… The kingdom of God cometh not with observation …”, it has to do with what is physically observable in each instance. In other words, one does not “see” Christ or the Kingdom of God with physical eyesight – even though people may say, “He is in our church”, or “Look what He is doing through that televangelist”, or “God spoke to me in a beautiful dream”. The Bible clearly insists in 2 Cor 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight”. In Matt 24, verses 24-25, the Savior warns for the third time in this chapter (see verses 4-5 and 11) about false Christs and their deceptive “signs and wonders”. Before we move on, I want to mention something about the two words rendered as “desert” (eremos:G2048) in “Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth” and “secret chambers” (tameion:G5009) in “behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not” found in Mat 23:26. The former is translated as “wilderness”, “desert”, “desolate”, and “solitary”. There are instances where this particular word is used in a positive sense; but in the majority of cases, it is referring to rebellion and/or testing (as in the case of Israelites’ sojourn in the wilderness for 40 years), or it is referring to the kingdom of Satan (as typified by the world at large) and the end-time apostate churches: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate [eremos:G2048]: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Luke 13:35). The latter word, “secret chambers” tameion:G5009) in the other three verses (Mat 6:6, Luke 12:3 and 24), it is translated as – “closet” and “storehouse”. The context of these passages has to do with being preoccupied with outward appearances or physical needs instead of “seeking first the kingdom of God”: “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse [tameion:G5009] nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” (Luke 12:24) . It highlights the contrast between the great crowds thronging Christ in John 6:26-66 and the publican in the Temple in Luke 18:13, who quietly cried out in anguish, “God be merciful to me [the] sinner”. The chief interest of the former group was only to get a free meal and then just as quickly abandoning Christ when He started speaking about obedience to His Word. The latter is an example of those to whom God gives “a broken and a contrite heart”, and draws them to Himself.

Mat 24:23, 26 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not ... Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.”

Luke 17:20-24 “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 23And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. 24For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”

John 6:26-30 “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?”

• Believe Not Every Spirit, but Try the Spirits whether They are of God - This brings us to a very practical question: How does one determine who is a “false prophet”? In both Mat 7:16 and 20 we learn that we “shall know them by their fruits”. Mat 7:17a and 18a add: “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit ... A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit ...”. Jam 3:12 further explains, “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh”. Every human being produces some type of “fruit” with their lives that can be either good or evil. That fruit stems from their words, actions, and thoughts, as Pro 23:7 maintains: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he ...”. This principle is also evident in Luke 6:45. A “good man” is one who has become saved: “A good man [saved] out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good ...”. Sadly, there have always been those who masquerade as God’s servants, who are still in Satan’s kingdom and are his unwitting ambassadors. The popularity of most false gospels can generally be attributed to their appeals to man’s pride and basic sensual desires for political freedom, economic security and good health. Although they are spiritually dead, some of these unsaved churchgoers seek to teach others their unbiblical ideas about spiritual matters; but it is a very dangerous thing to be an unsaved, self-proclaimed “teacher” of the Scriptures. In Jam 3:1 God indicates there will be a “greater condemnation” in Hell for those hypocrites who handle His Word carelessly. But how can we really know? We must turn exclusively to the God’s Word – The Bible – the Christian’s sole authority. 1 John 4:1 informs all believers of their obligation to be on guard: “... believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God ...”. So, how does one “try [test] the spirits”? We must test what every so-called “prophet” says against the Bible, as we read in Acts 17:11 about the Bereans: “... they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”. I will leave you with a verse that encourages all of us to trust the only the Bible and look to it for divine truth. These citations encourage the child of God to depend on God’s Word by obeying it, and hence proving that it is indeed 100% reliable, 100%of the time! It is also extremely useful for distinguishing truth from error, as we just read in 1 John 4:1. It is such a wonderful blessing to recognize that God will not allow His children to wander into error for very long, but will lead them into truth as they “continue in my [Jesus] Word” (John 8:31). John 16:13-15 and John 10:1-5 should be a great encouragement to each true Christian, because these verses assure that it is the Christ himself and the Holy Spirit that guards them.

Luke 6:45 “A good man [saved] out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man [unsaved] out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Matt 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs (pseudochristos), and false prophets (pseudoprophetes), and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

Isa 8:20 “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word [The Bible], it is because there is no light in them.”

John 16:13-15 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

John 10:1-5 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”

There Shall Arise False Christs, And False Prophets. Read more...

• There shall arise False Christs, and False Prophets - To whom are you listening? Mat 7:15 cautions: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”. This warning is especially serious as we are now living in the end times. In Mat 24:4 Jesus cautions, “Take heed that no man deceive you”, and then He informs us three times in the rest of the chapter that this period of time will be characterized by an intense amount of spiritual deception, as stated in Mat 24:24-25: “... there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect”. This deception is carried out by Satan and his “false prophets” and is described throughout the Bible. Mat 24 highlights this worldwide apostasy and the impact of this global deceit, in verses 4-5, 11, and 23-25: “... many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many”. 1 Pet 5:8 alerts us to Satan’s tactics that have been honed by use throughout the history of the world: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. Satan comes as an “angel of light”, in other words, Satan comes trying to look like Christ, who is the true light of the world. Satan comes with false gospels. He tries to get as close to the truth as possible, but there are lies mixed with the truth. We see in the parable of the wheat and the tares, how Satan creeps in and sows tares among those who are in that physical body, the church. Likewise, he also employs those who masquerade as God’s servants, who have never experienced true salvation, whom God has not called, who are “transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ”. They are emissaries of Satan, “deceitful workers”, deceived into thinking they are working for God.

Mat 24:4-5 “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

Mat 24:23-25 “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before.”

2 Cor 11:13-15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

2 Pet 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds) 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”

• The Working of Satan with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders - The Scripture makes clear that these are signs of a false gospel and a great delusion. God gave all supernatural healings, miracles, signs, wonders, and tongues to prove that those who were speaking for God in the Bible were truly from God (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3-4, 2 Cor 12:12, Acts 2:22). Also he taught invisible heavenly spiritual truths of God through these visible signs. When God finished writing the Bible He withdrew those supernatural manifestations. Those who claim to practice these alleged supernatural wonders are deluded. As we have seen, 1 Pet 5:8 highlights the Satan’s masterminding deceit as he is both a destroyer as well as a deceiver (John 8:44). It is helpful to note that Satan is busier than ever during our day as he is ruling in all apostate churches and denominations according to 2 The 2:34, “Who [Satan] opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God”. Satan was spiritually “bound” at the Cross and through out the New Testament “Church Age” [ typified by figurative “thousand years”] and is now released for a “little season” to deceive the nations – but his doom is sealed. Notice “the lie” is contrasted with “the truth” in 2 The 2:9-12 and that those who “perish” have not received “the love of the truth” – God and His Word are Characterized by Truth. What is even more frightening is that God “shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie”. 2 Tim 3:8 states “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith”. Jannes and Jambres [It appears that the names are of Egyptian origin, leading to speculation that they were the “magicians” spoken of in Exodus chapters 7-9], Elymas the sorcerer (in Acts 13:8) and Alexander the coppersmith (in 2 Tim 4:15), who resisted the truth of God along with a host of false prophets and teachers (named and unnamed) in both the Old and New Testaments. God’s judgments upon the Israelites with the “spirit of deep sleep” according to Isa 29:10 and the “spirit of slumber” in Rom 11:8 are parallel to the “strong delusion” in 2 The 2:11-12, which refers to God’s judgment upon the apostate institutional churches and denominations who do not have the authority of the God’s Word, the Bible. Eventually, all the unsaved will end up in the Lake of Fire, along with Satan and all his demons, according to Rev 20:10, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”.

Acts 2:22 “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:”

2 Cor 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.”

Heb 2:3-4 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Matt 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

2 The 2:3-4 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [Satan]; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

2 The 2:8-12 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Rev 19:20 “And the beast [Satan] was taken, and with him the false prophet [Satan’s ministers] that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

Days of Noah - But Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the LORD. Read more...

• But Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the LORD - By examining the two verses Rom 4:4: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” and Rom 11:6: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”, one quickly realizes that “grace” and “works” with respect to salvation are incompatible. “Work” is labor, or effort, that usually earns some kind of compensation. You have a job, so you do your work and get paid for it. “Grace”, on the other hand, is not work. It is an undeserved gift, so you get something for doing nothing. Tit 2:11 informs us of the Divine purpose of the grace of God: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men…”. God’s grace first and foremost accomplishes salvation – to save sinners from eternal punishment in Hell for God’s honor and glory. Grace is God’s Divine Prerogative. Since God’s grace is an undeserved and unearned gift that is bestowed on whomever God so chooses, it is available to all kinds of people regardless of location, age, gender, race, social status, religion, or any other human classification. Since God uses the word “grace” to describe Noah in that he “found grace”, this indicates that Noah was a sinner as anyone else. In Genesis 9, we read about him falling into sin when he became a husbandman and drank of the fruit and got drunk. No one needs grace unless they are a sinner, unless they have transgressed the Law of God and need a Saviour. God bestowed upon him grace, which means that God gave him His Spirit (Eze 36:26-28). He gave him a new heart and a new soul. This is the identical way of salvation today, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”. The ark, represented God’s salvation program, according to 1 Pet 3:20-21.

Gen 6:5-9 “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

Eph 2:5-8 “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

1 Pet 3:20-21 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure [water = the Gospel] whereunto even baptism [the washing away of our sins] doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

• Noah was a Just Man and Perfect in his Generations - When we see these kinds of descriptions of individuals in the Bible, we think that they were good, that they were morally good. Then we tend to think that if we could only be as good as them, then we, too, would find grace or we could also be accepted by God. Nothing can be farther from truth. As far as that man goes himself, he is just a sinner, like you or me or anybody. There are no exceptions, except for Christ who was the God/man. But every other human being who comes through the line of Adam is a sinner because the Bible also tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and Rom 3:10 (quoting Psa 14:2-3) declares, “There is none righteous, no, not one”. Job was a sinner and Moses was a sinner and Noah was a sinner and Daniel was a sinner. All have sinned. These were individuals who found grace (Salvation) in God’s sight. “Noah was a just Man and perfect in his generations”, this can be true of Noah only after “Salvation”. So Noah was a righteous man, a just man, because of the imputed righteousness of Christ. He was perfect because God had made him perfect, and he walked with God. Rom 3:20 makes it clear that, “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight ...”. As one studies God’s salvation program as delineated in the Bible, two aspects become very clear: We need the Lord Jesus Christ to bestow His Grace and pay for our sins by suffering death and destruction on our behalf, and we need Him to give us His righteousness. Heb 11:7 helps us to understand that Noah inherited the “righteousness which is by faith”. Notice the actions that God initiated: (1) God warned Noah – by faith Noah was moved to prepare an ark, which was a picture of the salvation of the Lord Jesus and also a picture of judgment to the world. (2) Noah (as a picture of all believers) inherited the righteousness which is by faith. When God uses the word faith in conjunction with salvation, He is speaking about the “faith of Christ” – the righteousness which is of God by faith (Php 3:9). In other words, Noah was saved by Grace and Justified by Faith of Christ. He was declared Righteous by Christ’s Righteousness being imputed to him by Faith. We also learn from 2 Pet 2:5 that Noah was not only a recipient of God’s righteousness, but also a preacher of that same righteousness : “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly”

Gen 6:8-9 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

Heb 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Rom 4:4-8 “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

• Noah and Ark represents the Rest and Comfort God provided for His people in Christ - The word Noah Means “Rest”. Gen 5:29 also gives the meaning of name Noah as Comfort – the Comfort that brings Eternal Salvation. In Deu 5:14, God spells out the essence of the seventh-day Sabbath: “But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou”. The essence of the Old Testament Sabbath, which is a ceremonial law pointed to the fact that God rested on the seventh day from His labors. The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ on that first Sunday that ushered in a new era of worship, which God instituted by abolishing the previous era of Old Testament (Saturday) worship. Spiritually “rest” pointed to the fact that true believers are to rest in the salvation which God has provided through the Lord Jesus Christ and are not to depend on any human effort, or work, as Heb 4:10 reminds us: “For he that is entered into his rest [God’s rest], he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his”. Eph 2:8-9 underscores this vital principle: “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”. Rom 11:6 further insists, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”. The “rest” for our souls is something only God can give to us – we cannot attain it through any of our own efforts, as Heb 4:10-12 clearly states: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest ...”. The Greek word for “labour” in verse 11 means not “work” but “to be diligent” with reference to feeding on the Word of God as is pointed out in verse 12. We learn from Gal 3:11: “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

Gen 5:28-29 “And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah saying, This same [Noah] shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.”

Matt 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden [with the works of the law], and I [Lord Jesus] will give you rest [by fulfilling the demands of the law on the Cross for us]. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

1 Pet 3:20-21 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure [water = the Gospel] whereunto even baptism [the washing away of our sins] doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

Isa 30:18 “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him [rest in him].”