Let's begin with a definition.
Sovereignty is the right and the accompanying power of someone or something to rule or to govern without any outside pressure or interference.
As we will see later on in the course of this study, that although the sovereignty of the state is sanctioned in Scripture (Romans 13), the sovereignty of the state is conditionally delegated by and remains to be subject to the absolute divine sovereignty of God (John 19: 11). The power of the state can do nothing that God , through His permissive will, does not at least allow to take place. ALL that God allows to take place ultimately serves a divine purpose, even though many times we are unable to perceive it at the time. There is no military force or national security organization (domestic or foreign) that can advance unless God so decrees (Psalms 27/Psalms 127: 1).
A declining economy, ungodly leadership, natural disasters, and impotence on the battlefield(s) are all manifestations of divine discipline being imposed by God on a wayward or backsliding nation. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a military force on Earth that God did not or will not be put in its place when the divine order called for it. History is replete with examples of relatively small and weak armies either defeating its enemy or eluded the grasp of over-whelming military forces opposing them.
God imposes various degrees of national divine discipline, with each new level resulting in more serious temporal consequences (Leviticus 26) than the previous one. The maxim form of national discipline being the temporary or permanent removal from the Community of nations as an independent, sovereign nation.
As the Creator of the universe, God is sovereign over all that He created for His own glory. As God, He is free to do anything that He pleases that is in keeping with HIs own character and nature, word, and agenda. Man was not created for God to glorify him. Man was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing conflict taking place in the spiritual realm that began BEFORE the creation of Man.
God has used the actions of both godly and ungodly individuals and nations to inevitably fulfill HIs will. The timing of the rise, degree of influence, decline, or fall of ANY nation is in the hands of God (Acts 17: 26), with each one knowingly or unwittingly playing its role.
Old (Books of Daniel/Isiah) and New Testament (The Gospels/Epistles) prophecies (many already fulfilled and some still pending) shed some light on the identity and activity of the major empires and nations that has brought us to the point of history in which we are now living, and portray the national and international events that will bring us to the Second Advent (Return of Christ). Additional prophecies in the Book of Revelation have shed some light on what God has planned for the future of the human race. These events, some horrific and some glorious, are not events that might happen, but are events that have happened, are happening, and will happen in accordance with divine timing.
The sovereignty of the state is established and exercised via the various forms of secular government, such as a theocracy, a monarchy, a dictatorship, a democratic republic, a confederacy, etc.. The populace of a nation under ANY of these forms of government can be blessed or cursed as a result of the free-will decisions made by those in positions of authority. Godly (national) living brings about godly blessing, and ungodly (national) living brings about godly national discipline. NO nation is free from "any" outside pressure when that "outside" pressure is God. National sovereignty is a delegated authority and is subject to the ultimate and absolute sovereignty of God.
Until the New Heavens and the New Earth are established (Rev. 22), there will always be a degree of evil (and its consequences) on the individual, national, and international level. It is the presence of godly people within any given nation that largely preserves its security (Gen 18: 23-32). It is by no coincidence that the fall or decline of the great (humanly speaking) nations and empires of human history was preceded by a general disregard for God and the things of God on the part of its leadership and much of the population of the empires or nations involved.
When a government (or the majority of the people being governed) ask for outside help to assistance from other nation(s) to retain or establish a new sovereign government,, those being asked are faced with difficult choices. In truth, how much "interest" in the hardships of other nations is often weighed on the scales of self-interests to see if the assistance is worth the investment. Such SELF interests include the impact on one's own economy, access to natural resources, and political posturing as the super-powers jockey for position and compete for world dominance and influence.
Moral, social, racial, and humanitarian "concerns" is often no more than a smoke screen to conceal the real agenda while garnering public support in nations where public support is an issue with the governing authority. Public opinion in in the USA is high on the list of concerns for politicians, whereas public opinion under some other forms of government throughout the world's community of nations is of little (if any) concern. Expressing opions contrary to the official position of the state can cost one his head in many parts of the world.
The insanity of using weapons of mass destruction on a global scale in a nuclear exchange has redefined the tactics of modern day warfare, as well as turning the traditional balance of power on its head. Having the biggest guns, when the use of them would be an act of insanity, is relatively meaningless, dangerous, and even suicidal. Even if the military has the means to take out or neutralize the existing government of a "hostile" nation with minimal collateral destruction to the nation itself, the resulting internal chaos can give birth to a more dangerous situation than what was in place before the war, as competing factions struggle to be the new king of the hill. Such factions will take all the assistance they can garner to remove an existing government, but totally reject outside interference when it comes time to establish the new.
History has shown over and over again that the conclusion of many wars only serve to set the stage for the next.
The practical inability to make use of weapons of mass destruction for fear of triggering a retaliatory response that has the capability of devastating the world as we know it to be today, has placed even the smallest of nations in a position of being a catalyst to ignite a major conflict between the world's super powers. Securing a moment of world domination would not accomplish very much if the spoils of war consists largely of a nuclear waste dump with an atmosphere that will slowly kill the "winning" survivors.
A vile of bacterial weaponry that can fit into the hands of a single terrorist has the potential capability of eliminating more persons than were killed (or later died) as a result the usage of atomic weaponry that brought World War 2 to its conclusion.
It's a disturbing thought, but the truth is who is labeled as "terrorist", a "commando", a "revolutionary", or a "patriot" is dependent on which side of the conflict one is on and wh0 wins the war!
Here in the dispensation of the Church Age, the Church that God designed has been called to focus on the spiritual needs that apply to every soul regardless of race, gender, or nationality.
The Christian Community's unauthorized partnering with secular government has proved to be disastrous throughout its history giving rise to a form of tyranny that brought the "Church" to some of its darkest periods of history. More modern day attempts to legislate issues of personal morality has clearly backfired, opening the door of the secular courts to adopt laws that reflect human viewpoint and reject divine viewpoint. As a result, many laws that once prohibited acts forbidden in Scripture have not only been repealed, but have gone as far as to grant those involved with protected rights and the political freedom to engage in such behaviors.
Born again, edified, "Christians" do (should) NOT need for there to be a law on the secular books requiring certain actions or prohibiting others in order to learn and apply the Word of God.
Christians are called (Matt.. 28: 19) to be edified (Matt. 7: 24) in order to develop their own edified soul structure as a base of operations, with the long term objective of be prepared to give a Biblical answer (1 Pet. 3: 15) to spiritual and moral issues for the spiritual enlightenment of others (1 Cor. 12: 7). This need has never been greater that it is now when much of the Christian Community is filled with so much apostasy here in the End Times (2 Tim. 4: 1), and has become focused on everything else but what it was commissioned to do! In this the devil is well-pleased.
The principle of the coexistence between the sovereignty of the state and the sovereignty of the Church did not originate with First Admendment of the US Constitution. The Lord Jesus made this point clear in (Mark 12: 17). Scripture also endorses the payment of taxes for the support and function of secular government (Rom. 13: 6).
Military service, when called to serve, is a Biblically endorsed principle dating back to the ancient world (Numbers 1: 3). God cannot endorse ANYTHING that can be legitimately be labeled sin. For Christians to reap the benefits of the secular nation in which GOD placed them, and not be willing to serve in its military is not a postion that can be Biblically substantiated.
The Bible (Ex. 20: 13), when accurately translated and applied as a whole, teaches that Thou shall not MURDER and not that thou shall not kill
as some of the ENGLISH translations of Scripture would suggest. The Bible ( Eccl. 3: 3, 8 ) teaches that there are times to kill , and that there are times for war. The Bible teaches that there are times when other actions that involve killing is excusable and/or justifiable. Among them is when a death was accidental, in acts of self-defense or in the defense of others, capital punishment imposed by the state, and in the course of military or police service. Secular laws have gone to great lengths to define when a life can be taken and the one taking the life is not subject to either criminal prosecution or civil liability.
The divine and/or secular accountability for the taking of human life is not to be taken lightly, but there are times when doing so neither violates the laws of God or Man. Time and space do not allow for a detailed elaboration of these subjects in the course of this study, but are lessons to be studied on another day.
The Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19) encompasses ALL members of the human race, regardless of race, gender, social-economic status, education, or nationality. True believers, past and present, have risked life and limb to promote and maintain the TRUE Gospel Message and accurate Bible Doctrine in the face of political, social, familial, and "relig0us" persecution, imprisonment, forfeiture of goods, property, and martyrdom.
Sad to say, but the ONE and ONLY tangible source (The Bible) for spiritual edification that God (2 Tim. 3: 16) provided for Man does little more than collect dust in the homes of many who claim to be Christians. In many local assemblies, the Word of God and is only (at best) being passively commented on by those standing behind many pulpits, and being grossly misrepresented and applied in others. in the day and age in which we a living.
History is replete with extremists in virtually every religious/political group that has come along who have self-determined to sacrifice their own lives in order to "make a statement" for their religious/political beliefs.
In the day and age in which we live, when such extremists gain access to weapons of mass destruction, there is no end (short of what God decrees) to the possibilities or the extent of harm that such persons or groups of persons can generate. This blind devotion is enhanced when those involved believe that such sacrifice will be greatly rewarded by their deity of choice! Justifying "holy wars" in the name of religion is NOTHING new. It has been a part of human history ever since the concept of separate nations became a reality following the separation of the people at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11) combined with the expansion of worldly religions (Psalms 96).
The promise of eternal blessing in exchange for participating in the Crusades was a part of the recruitment policy of the Vatican.
Especially in ancient times, many wars and their outcomes were perceived to be the work of competing deities in which the various tribes or nations involved served like pawns in an international game of Chess. While promoting the concept of their being only of ONE true God, the outcome of any war being in the hands of God is not a foreign concept to Christian doctrine based on such passages as Acts 17: 26.
According to the common beliefs of the ancient world, wars or battles could be lost if the inferior "god(s)" of the losers was either lacking in power, or if it/they allowed the defeat of their people as an act of discipline to punish them for disobedience.. Scripture teaches that there is ONLY one true God, and that the perceived "gods" of the peoples of the world are idols (s) (Psalms 96). Scripture (Acts 17: 26) teach that the ONE God directs or allows the rise and fall of all nations to ultimately fulfill His will. To the extent that God allows, satanic influence plays a significant part in the agenda of nations that are hostile towards Jews and Christian alike.
A diminished impact of its international influence (Lev. 26: 19) accompanied by partial or complete loss on the battlefield (Lev. 26: 17) are among the consequences that a client nation can receive from God, with the maximum consequence being its removal as a sovereign state in the eyes of the community of nations in the world.
The sovereignty of God applies to ALL nations, but there are five cycles of divine discipline (Lev. 26) that APPLY to all "client nations" as of 70 AD (when Israel was no longer God's client nation) until the end time prophecies are to be fulfilled. At that time the NATION of Israel will once again be the focus of attention.
Each level of discipline is more severe than the previous one (Lev. 26). During the dispensation of the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was the client nation of God, going through periods of both tremendous blessing along with periods of great discipline. Israel's return as a sovereign nation in the 1940's was a major fulfillment of End Time prophecy.
There have been several client nations during the dispensation of the Church Age that God has used to promote the Great Commission. God has used both good and evil nations to fulfil their roles as they continue to set the stage for the fulfillment of the End Time prophecies that will be fulfilled after the end of the Church Age. Note that I said the end of the Church AGE and not the end of the Church. The Church, consisting of the collective body of the souls of all born again believers here on Earth, as well as those who have already departed, will ALWAYS have their place (1Thess. 4: 17) and function(s) (Rev. 20: 6/1Cor. 2: 9/etc.) throughout all of eternity. Most of the "Church" is now in Heaven with usully only two or generations of believers on the Earth at any given time.
A "client" nation is one whose people identify with the God of the Bible, and one that is used by God to accomplish specific objectives in the Master Plan of God. The blessings that God bestoes on a client nation, in part, is what provides the opportunity for believers residing there to take part in the Great Commission that was given to the Church at large. To understand what the role a client nation is to serve, one must have knowledge of what the primary SPIRITUAL objective is for that period of history. MANY nations (Daniel 6) have been and will be used by God to bring about the prophesied End Time POLITICAL scenario (Rev.19: 19) that sets the stage for the Second Advent to take place.
Running concurrently with the prophesied political environment is the fulfillment of the Great Commission. ONLY (John 15: 5) Spirit-filled BELIEVERS can be used of God to accomplish His SPIRITUAL agenda. Such believers can be found in all nations, but especially in the client that God has promoted, among other reasons, for that very purpose.
The PRIMARY spiritual agenda for the Church Age involves the Great Commission (Matt, 28: 19, 20). The Great Commission involves the preservation and the proclamation of the TRUE GOSPEL MESSAGE to unbelievers and the making of disciples (students and appliers of the Word of God) out of born again believers on a global level, oblivious to ALL political, religious, social, economical, educational, cultural, and racial barriers (1John 2: 2).
A client nation need NOT to be an official (governmentally recognized) "Christian" nation. The USA, constitutionally speaking, can NOT endorse ANY religion, nor can it interfere in ANY of the religious practices of citizenry. Never-the-less, until its more recent history was clearly perceived to be a predominately Christian nation with the majority of its population and leaders identifying themselves with basic Christain values..
A client nation will be the recipient of BOTH divine blessing (for obedience) and divine discipline (for disobedience), as long as it functions in the capacity of a client nation. While a client nation is in line to receive more divine blessings, it is also open to more discipline.
There is an additional personal/national blessing or curse being the result of how one treats or mistreats the Jews in any given land (Gen. 12: 3). Although many of the orthodox Jews of His Day rejected the Lord Jesus Christ, there were many who believed. Mary, Joseph, and the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ were all Jews. Many of the first members and leaders of the Church were Jews (Acts 2: 41), as were the apostles.
God's NATIONAL promises to the nation of Israel will ALL be fulfilled. Anti-semitism is a policy that the devil promotes. as he knows that the end time and future prophecies, as the Bible foretells, cannot take place without there being a nation of Israel at the time! The devil has his own reasons for not wanting the end time prophecies to be fulfilled (Rev. 20: 10).
The USA, I believe, is (at least at the present time) a client nation of God. That status, and the corresponding blessings that it has received could change as it has for nations who functioned in that capacity as well. As a "client" nation, the USA has been serving one major SPIRITUAL purpose and one political purpose concerning end time prophecies.
I believe that the USA's spiritual purpose is its part in the fulfillment of the Great Commission evidenced by the fact in more recent history that the majority of the organizations that are involved in the Great Commission are supported by Church Age believers residing in the USA.
I believe that its political purpose is to continue to provide a wall of military protection around the nation of Israel until the stage is set for the events that lead up to the Second Advent. Rather or not the USA will choose to abandon its alliance with Israel or be otherwise unwilling or incapable of providing an effective military defense for Israel as the Battle of Armageddon takes center stage remains to be seen.
Scripture speaks of a great ultimate victory for God and the destruction of the beast and its forces by the angelic armies of Heaven (Rev. 19: 19, 20), but not before a time so horrific (Matt. 24: 21) for the people involved during the final years leading up to the Second Advent. that, "unless those days had not been cut short (by the manifestation of the Second Advent) no life would have been saved (Matt. 24: 22 NASB italics mine)." Details of these events are the subject matter for another study on another day. What we need to understand, as it pertains to the Doctrine of Sovereignty is that God's sovereignty rules supreme and that the soverrignty of the states or coalition involved in these end time events are subject to the ultimate will and plan of God outlined in Scripture.
Believers can be come weary warriors to the point they become spiritual worriers if they are not aware or reminded of what the devil's tactics (2 Cor. 2: 11) and objectives (1 Pet. 5: 8) are. All advancing disciples will go through periods of time that it seems like there will never be any relief from the pressure that the is being allows to throw at us, but it is when the remind ourselves of what he is after that we can dig in and resist him with the power that God supplies. NOTHING is more frustrating for the devil than to have thrown his best punch that God allows and not succeed in our destruction.
Skeptics will raise doubts (2 Pet. 3: 4), but like everything else that God is involved in, these End Time events will not materialize one second earlier or be one second later than what God has already determined. Note the ignorance and false conclusions in the mindset of the unbelievers: "...Where is the (fulfillment of) his (second) coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep (death of believers in past generations), all continues as it was from the beginning of creation (2 Pet.3: 4 NASB italics mine)." Even a child in Sunday School knows that much has taken place since Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden and even the most naïve person can see that this world as a whole is on a path of self-destruction. Witho0ut the over-ruling will of God being manifested, I believe that Man would have been the means of his own self-destruction a long time ago.
When Scripture (Matt. 24: 37) speaks of the world environment being like the days of Noah just before the Second Advent takes place, ii is speaking of a return to the level of evil (Gen. 6: 5) and its consequences that were in place in the days of Noah on one hand, yet a continuation of life as usual on the other. Those with spiritual discernment will see that the stage has been set, whereas those lacking spiritual discernment will see life going on as it has in the past, dismissing all warnings that End Time prophecies could be fulfilled in their lifetime here on Earth.
No ONE listened to the preaching of Noah during the construction of the Ark, but THEN it started to rain and GOD closed the door of the Ark (Gen. 7: 16). One can reach a point from which there is no return. My prayer for you is that as an unbeliever heading for Hell can still hear the pre-salvation voice of God calling you to salvation in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message, or that as a believer can still hear the post salvation voice of God calling you to identify and engage in the TRUE post salvation spiritual life, then, "....do not harden your hearts (Heb. 3: 15 NASB)", but open the door so that He can come in and dine (establish a personal and intimate relationship with you- Rev. 3: 20 ) before it is too late.
Rejecting the Gospel Message results in an eternity in what the Bible calls the lake of fire. The lake of fire is NOT place of extermination, but one of eternal (never ending) suffering and separation from God. Rejecting the call to post salvation discipleship results in an eternity in Heaven, but one without all the rewards and privileges that one could have also received for having brought glory to God while here on Earth.
The sovereignty of God EQUALLY assures EVERY soul of spending all of eternity in either Heaven or Hell, and the souls of believers to either receive or to forfeit rewards.
Only God knows if any one us here on Earth today will be among those who will still be here when the Rapture takes or if we will be with those who have departed as generations before us have done. BOTH groups have an active part in what takes place in the Rapture.
In the meantime, Church believers who are here on Earth have their individual (1 Cor. 12) and corporate (Matt. 28: 19, 20) work to do concerning the promotion of the TRUE Gospel and the making of disciple ( Matt. 28: 19, 20). If the Rapture should take place during our time here on Earth, will the Lord find us enaged in the work He had for us, or will be conformed to the likeness of the unbelievers around us, more concerned with the here and now?
The ingenious of the devil is how he will take an actual Doctrine of Scripture and put a different spin on it to suck in the participation of Man and achieve his own diabolical objective(s). No one can misquote or misapply what God has said with effect better than the devil himself. It worked well in the Garden of Eden and with a few exceptions (Matt. 4/Luke 4) has worked well throughout human history. There is nothing more pitiful than a person or groups of persons doing the devil's bidding while believing that he/she is doing the work of God (John 16: 2).
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Wars do have their part in the unfolding of the divine plan for the human race (Daniel 7). The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that war and rumors of war will be a part of the human experience and environment, and that these things "must -Matt. 24:)" take place. The form of "peace" that was brought to the Earth with the First Advent was not of the interpersonal or international variety. The form of peace announced by the Christmas angel (Luke 2: 14) referred to peace between God and those who would received His gift of salvation. The blessed peacemakers of (Matt. 5: 9) are those who proclaim the Gospel. Being at peace with God will motivate one to be at peace with others, to the extent that circumstances allow (Romans 12: 18), but one must NOT confuse the form of peace spoken of in Luke 2: 14 with interpersonal or international peace. Those who confuse the two will mock God and the people of God, asking where the "peace on Earth" is when in truth it has been right in front of us since the Gospel was first announced.
Identifying with the promotion of the TRUE Gospel Message, alliance with Israel, and/or affiliation with the Christian Community at large as an individual or as a nation, especially here in the End Times, will be the cause of conflict, not peace, here in the devil's world (Matt. 10: 34). There is a period of time coming of sustained international peace, but NOT until the AFTER the Second Advent.
Many who engage in war do so without knowing that they are advancing either the direct or permissive will of God.
Ancient kings, chiefs, and warriors sought the intercession of the "gods" when engaging in war, and the devil promotes anything that promotes the concept that there are other god(s) in addition to or in place of the God of the Bible. Both the victors and the losers of wars in the ancient world sought the blessings or grace of the god/God of the victors, having (in theirs eyes) proven to be the superior god. Desecrating the temples and the removal of the religious icons was a common practice among many of the victorious nations. The Persian, and later the Roman, empire saw the political advantage of allowing conquered nations to retain their religious practices and a degree a self-governing provided they did nothing that would be considered to be a crime against the new found state.
In the day and age in which we are now living, the mobilization of large military forces over air, land, or sea will not go undetected, but the forming and deployment of terrorist units can not be as easily monitored or addressed. This is especially true in a free society where the government is limited as to what it can do until AFTER an act has been carried out, where as those even suspected of being an "enemy of the state" in nations where such freedom does not exist, are rounded up and never heard of again.
The resources and opportunities of the average terrorist or terrorist cell does not allow them to organize and execute many extraordinary events such as was witness on 9/ 11 in New York City and Washington, DC, but the collective havoc and fear that single or small groups of terrorists can collectively make, functioning independently but for a united purpose, is what makes them a clear and present danger.
End time prophesies speak of the there being a "beast". This beast, I believe, is NOT a single nation or empire in the traditional sense of the words, but a group of nations who are bonded by their religious beliefs, as well as individuals and groups of individuals who live among the nations of world who reside in the land of what they perceive to be "infidels". The ultimate goal it is to bring the world under the domain and glory of Allah. Its strategy is, and will be, both military and philosophical in nature. Individuals and nations who choose to identify and submit to their agenda will be welcomed with opened arms, but those who oppose them are considered (by them) enemies worthy of death.
ANY "other God", spiritual agenda, or political "obstacle" that stands in the way must be removed. At the present time, the nation of Israel and its western allies are the primary "obstacles". Land entitlement to Jerusalem and the surrounding area goes back to inheritance rights being claimed by opposing peoples who descended from Abraham.
The Vatican tried to capture and retain control over Jerusalem during the Crusades in an attempt to establish an earthly Kingdom of God.
After the immediate actions of the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent takes place, Jerusalem will be the HQ of the global kingdom under the rule of the Lord Jesus Christ, but NOT before.
The Biblical prophecies concerning the nation of Israel and the "Church" of the Lord Jesus Christ that is promoted by many of Isreal's western allies is in direct contradiction to the political and religious agenda of the followers of Allah. THIS is the basic bone of contention between the nations of the Middle East and ANY nation or collation of nations that side with Israel or any of her western allies. Scripture clearly reveals the destruction of the beast and the global reign of the Lord Jesus Christ in a kingdom headquarterered in Jersualem.
The USA is the chief "western" ally of concern to the beast. At least at one time, 90% of the world's evangelistic (preaching of the Gospel) was being financed by organizations within the USA. The "birth of the Church" took place in Jerusalem (Acts 2), and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the establishment of His "kingdom ON Earth" will be headquartered in Jerusalem. Jerusalem and the Middle East is the focus of attention of any Church Age believer who knows ANYTHING about end time and future Biblical prophecies yet to be fulfilled.
The Christian faith and future hopes has much to do with the Holy Land of the Middle East and the national destiny of Israel. In accordance with God's timing, these events will take place regardless of what independent or contrary foreign policy the UN, USA, Israel, or ANY other nation or coalition may impose concerning its involvement in Middle East affairs. God is in charge and His sovereign rule will prevail.
Never-the-less, the leadership of the USA would be well-advised to keep in mind that the blessing/curse principle of (Gen. 12:3) is still in place, as it has been throughout human history. In her more recent history, the USA has brought on herself enough national discipline via the ungodly choices its society has taken without adding more fuel to the fire, but that is another subject for another day.
* "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you (Gen. 12: 3 NASB)."
Some prophecies speak of post (after) Second Advent activities of the "beast" (Rev. 19: 19). This confirms the fact that the "beast" is not going away (or be put away) until after the Rapture ( 1 Thess. 4; 15-17) takes place and the Church r-e-t-u-r-n-s with Christ to establish the 1,000 year GLOBAL kingdom, headquartered in Jerusalem.
Obviously before the Church can RETURN with Christ, it must first have been taken away. It will be taken away (1 Thess. 4: 15-17) while the "beast" is here and active here on Earth, as it is today. The post (after) Second Advent activity of the "beast" (Rev. 19: 19) confirms that the beast will still be here on Earth AFTER the return of Christ (Rev. 19:11+), but soon thereafter the beast will face its prophesied end (Rev. 19: 20).
The beast is here and active in the world in which we are living and is not going to go away. It will be working behind the scenes right up to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent. Keep in mind that Scripture does not portray a beautiful world that has prepared itself for the coming Messiah, but one whose environment will be so horrible (Matt. 24: 21) during the final period of time just before HIs return that, "... unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved...(Matt. 24: 22 NASB>" It will be cut short by the Return of Christ.
The present-day, short term objective of the beast is the destruction of the nation of Israel and her allies, and the long term objective is for global domination of the world for the glory of Allah. The devil supports ANY religion or religious practice that would deny God the glory due Him. We do NOT all worship the same god using different names and methods (Psalms 96: 5). There is only one God and one way (John 14: 6) to connect with Him.
Lef to its own devices, the human race would self-destruct (Matt. 24: 22), but God has other plans. It is only the omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent sovereign God of the universe that can hold this world together long enough to fulfill His plan. His future plan for the human race involves both Israel and Church; two elements that the agenda of the beast cannot allow to exist if its (the beasts) agenda is t0 succeed. Note that the "church" began in Israel (Acts 2) and to the day includes ALL the Jews and Gentiles who come to believe in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Several of the End Time prophesies concerning the NATION of Israel will take place AFTER the Church. Born again Jews living in Israel or anywhere else here on Earth are a part of the Church and will be taken away in the Rapture. (including its Jewish members) are Raptured away. God has a plan for the Jews left behind in Israel after the Rapture takes place (Rev. 14). It will be in Jerusalem that the earthly kingdom with global dominion will be established following the Second Advent. The national prophesies of glory for the nation of Israel will be fulfilled.
The timing of the political rise, duration, extent of regional or global influence, as well as the timing of the decline orr fall of ALL nations or empires is in the hands of God (Acts 17: 26). The sovereignty of the nations is subject to the sovereignty of God. There is no military force or domestic agencies that can protect or preserve a nation or empire that God decides its time for it to go.
Civil wars, revolutions, localized, regional, and international wars have been (and will continue to be - Matt. 24: 6) a part of the human experience here on Earth. There will NEVER be a period of s-u-s-t-a-i-n-e-d peace without at least the threat of war on a global level on the horizon, until international affairs are managed and maintained by the manifestation of kingdom of the Lord Jesus that is established at the Second Advent.
Premature and unauthorized attempts by "religious" leadership to establish "the Kingdom of God" here on Earth through military, social, and financial pressure, have ALL failed. These attempts include the ones made by the Vatican included the placement of bishops who held high positions of influence over the people in the courts of emperors, monarchs (kings/queens) of the world.
Surely, many of the most evil political and religious leaders throughout human history perceived themselves as being God's chosen ruler here on Earth. One can make the Bible appear to say just about anything that a clever speaker wants it to say in order to justify his/her actions, as MANY of these political and religious leaders have done.
By being a legitimate heir to the an existing or future throne, or merely holding a difference of opinion than the one held by an existing monarch or government could cost one his life in the ancient world. The same "enemy of the state" exists in many parts of the world today.
As the doccumented accounts in the Old Testament books of Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, etc., record, being made king does NOT mean that as such, he would necessarily conduct himself as a "godly" king might do. The same can be said of MANY who have put themselves or have been put by others in a positions of leadership in the religious realm, some of which were NEVER a part of the divine plan for the structure of Church.
After being a great persecutor of the early Church, the Roman Empire Rome saw the value that a uniformed system of "religion" could contribute to uniting and controlling the masses within its diverse empire. The bond (or tyranny) that the union of religion and politics can foster can be enormous.
I believe the leadership within what had been established as the local "Church" in Rome at that time thought that bonding with the Roman Empire could serve the interests in the global expansion of the "Christian" Community. During the Church Age, Scripture calls for the coexistence (Matt. 22: 21) of Church (Matt. 16: 18) and State (Romans 13), but IF and WHEN placed in a position to choose between civil disobedience and divine obedience, one's first duty is to God (Acts 4: 19)
Trying to accomplish God's objectives with human ways and means will FAIL every time and often prove to be counter-productive. While the territory of the "Christian World" spread rather rapidly following the bed-partnering with the Roman Empire, so did much of the false teachings and practices that were then incorporated into the ever-expanding geographical domain with the aid of the Roman Empire and later into the political domain of Europe.
It's been said that some of European people who came to America did so seeking the freedom OF religion, when in fact they came seeking freedom FROM religion. Failure to discern what is "religious" and what is "spiritual" has been an internal issue of the Christian Community from it very beginning (Gal. 3).
I place quotation marks around the word "Christian" because God's definition and design for the Church in structure, function, and leadership is quite different from that in which most people perceive the "Christian" Church and/or community to be in the times in which we are living.
With the influence and power of "religion" having the support of the Roman Empire., the Christian World was on a course of tyranny and apostacy that even the Protestant Reformation could not resolve. It was NOT the initial desires of the Reformers to start a "new" Church, but to the bring the atexisting Church at the time back to its Biblical roots in structure and doctrine, purging itself of all the damage that Man in the name of "religion" had created.
There is no greater source of influential power here on Earth (humanly speaking) than when "religion" and "state" get together. When these combined forces work for the good, great nations and world-wide benefits can be the result. But when these same forces unite for the worse, there (humanly speaking) can be no end to the harm and destruction it can inflict. Human nature, being what it is, will time and time again prove the reality of John Dalberg-Acton's old saying, " Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power absolutely corrupts"!
Jesus Christ confirmed the coexistence but INDEPENDENT relationship that the Church He designed was to assume with the state (secular governments) during the dispensation of the Church Age. "....Then render unto Caesar (temporal/secular authorities) the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's (Matt. 22: 21 NASB italics mine)." IF and when placed in a postion where one must choose to favor one to the exclusion of the other, the advancing disciple is to chose to obey God (Acts 5: 29). Otherwise, Christians are commanded to pay taxes (Romans 13) and have a healthy respect for the secular government.
It is when the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20) has been completed (Matt. 24: 14) that the TRUE Church will be Raptured (1 Thess. 4: 15-17). The "end" being spoken of in Matt. 24: 14 is NOT the end of the world (yet-2Pet.3:10), nor is it the end of the Church, but the END of the Church Age HERE on Earth. The Church Age began at the Feast of Pentecost shortly after the ascension (Acts. 1: 9) of the Lord Jesus Christ, and will end at the Rapture.
The 1,000 year Kingdom of God, that will be established HERE on Earth following the Second Advent, will not be the result of the military, religious, political, or social accomplishment(s) of Man, but God will make use of the free-will exercising of the sovereignty of the nations involved to set the stage (Rev. 19: 19).
Most (if not all) of the persons left behind at the Rapture and are in or assume positions of leadership will have NO clue that they are fulfilling Biblical prophecy any more than did Pontius Pilate, and will do what they consider to be most politically expedient as the Battle of Armageddon is organized and executed. There will be NO true Christians on Earth, let alone ones in positions of authority when the Rapture takes place.
Keep in mind that ALL Church Age believers living on the Earth at the time of the Rapture will have already been Raptured and will not return until AFTER the final events leading up to the Second Advent take place. If there are any tribulation believers (those who are born again AFTER the Rapture takes place) holding positions of governmental influence, they will not be able to turn the tide of the horrific END TIME events that will precede the Second Advent.
The "elect" of Matthew 24: 22 are those who are born again during the relatively brief, but horrific Great Tribulation period that follows the Rapture and precedes the Second Advent. God will make the TRUE Gospel known to those left behind at the Rapture during the Great Tribulation period that will afford them the opportunity to be saved, but at GREAT personal risk during their time here on Earth. Those who do not receive the identifying mark of the beast will be considered "enemies of the state" and be treated accordingly, but anyone who chooses to receive the mark will face the wrath of God upon leaving this planet and meeting their Maker (Rev. 14: 9, 10, 11).
A lot of time as been spent trying to comprehend all that the Bible has to say about End Time prophecies that will be fulfilled AFTER the Rapture takes place. While the knowledge of such things can be a great motivator to share the Gospel Message with family and friends, the fact remains that Church Age believers will NOT be on the Earth as of the Rapture, but will return to Earth with the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent. Accordingly, the worst phase of all the horrific end time events will not be experienced by Church Age believers.
Why then, would God choose to include such things in HIs Word? The answer is that the BIBLE and all it contains is not all about you (us)!
The Word of God includes all the animal sacrifices, dietary restrictions, tithing, etc., that DID have a part in the spiritual life of believers during the Old Testament dispensation. The Word of God includes the Great Commission and Church Age doctrine that (should) defines and regulates the spiritual life of Church Age believers. The Word of God includes information that will be relevant to Tribulation saints, that is, those who become born again after being left behind as an unbeliever when the Rapture takes place. The Word of God contains information regarding FUTURE events that will take place in FUTURE dispensations (periods of time). Among the FUTURE events is the Second Advent (return of Christ), the destruction of the "beast", the setting up and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ in the millennial kingdom of God to be headquartered in Jerusalem, the incarceration of the devil, the final revolt, the final incarceration of the devil, Judgment Day(s) for the believer and the unbeliever, the final destruction of the physical world as we know it to be today, and the New Heavens and Earth to come. Knowing what events DO and DO NOT pertain to you as a Church Age believer will be one of the blessings you will receive for having been obedient to the (2 Pet. 3: 18) command to have grown in God's grace and knowledge. Fear and uncertainty, concerning END TIME, future, or eternal events will be a part of the divine discipline that one receives for disobedience to the command (not an option) to grow in God's grace and knowledge (2Pet. 3: 18) during one's lifetime here on Earth.
The sovereignty of God is going to see to it that ALL the events prophesied in Scripture take place rather we learn of or understand them or not. What our knowledge and understanding of such things will do for us is to provide for us the opportunity to experience the (Phi. 4: 7) form of peace that surpasses all (human) understanding as such things manifest themselves in the times in which we are living.
The road ahead that I see for TRUE Church Age believers here on Earth is not going to be an easy ride. In truth, it never was. Frankly, I do not see where the majority of those who claim some degree of association with the Christian Community are up for the challenge. I do not see where most of what is coming from pulpits within the Church of our day is doing much to prepare (Eph. 4: 12) it listeners for service and for all the changes that lay ahead in what I believe to be in the very near future. I see little interest in applying the truths of Scripture where it is being taught on any regular basis, when using the "fruits produced" scale as the primary analytical device. If this were not the prophesied status of the Church (2 TIm. 3: 5/2 Tim. 4: 1) here in the End Times, one would not be kept from wondering what in the word is going on within the Christian Community. On the bright side, the darker the environment is around us, the brighter the light that we have to shine.
There is an unprecedented wave of evil and destruction sweeping across the USA and other parts of the world that once were looked upon as lights for cause of Christ. Instead of being light bearers, the lights have gone out and opened the door for the devil to function unabated. Pastor teachers need to step out of their circles of comfort (popularity/acceptance/approval by Man) and toss aside their security blankets (job security/assignment)and DO the JOB that they were ordained to do (Eph. 4: 11, 12). Congregationalists need to get the proverbial wax out of their ears and got on with their part that God ordained for them in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, becoming and functioning as ambassadors for Christ wherever and in doing whatever one finds himself doing in the course of each day!
The Bible is like reading a map. The first thing that one has to do in order to benefit from a map is to determine his present location. The "you are HERE" designation on the information boards at the rest stops along the freeways is a good example.
The first thing that one has to do when using the "map" of the Bible is to determine where one is (spiritually dead or born again). Until one is born again, one has NO location on the map. Next one needs to learn the plan for the Church Age dispensation, as Man is now living in the dispensation of Church Age. The Church Age began at the Feat of Pentecost in Jerusalem (33 AD) and will come to its end at the Rapture. Developing an understanding of what the TRUE post (after) salvation life is all about (and what it is not about) is what gets us and keeps on track.
Correctly identifying what parts of the Old and the New Testament apply to believers here in the dispensation of the Church Age is what the "dividing/handling" principle of 2 Tim.2: 15 is all about. Many false doctrines and practices have become a part of the Chrsitian Community as a result of failing to properly divide the Word of God.
Failure to identify what dispensation (period of time) one is living in and what parts of Scripture do and don't apply to us (at this time) is a key element in building an edified soul structure to be used as a base of operation of the TRUE post salvation spiritual life. Accurate knowledge of what has taken place in past dispensations, and will take place in future dispensations has its place and purpose, but must not be allowed to become a distraction from what the spiritual life HERE in the Church Age is all about.
This is where RELIGION has done a poor job for God and a great job for the devil. Religion has brought Old Testament items and practices back into the Christian Community that has no legitimate place or function here in the Church Age. Furthermore, it has added to the mix many precepts and practices of its own making that are without Biblical substantiation.
There will be NO announcement (outside of End Time prophecy already recorded in the Bible) that the Rapture (1 Thess. 4: 15-17) is about to take place, and it will be all over with in a split second, or as Scripture puts it, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15: 52). At that moment of history, the prophesied (Matt. 24: 14) end of the Church Age will have taken place, opening the door for the horrific FUTURE dispensation of the Great Tribulation that precedes the Second Advent. As we have seen in more recent history, there has been MANY false prophets (those who claim and believe they are speaking for God) making many false predictions concerning the coming Rapture and the Second Advent.
One of the reasons for God providing Man with an account of past events is so that souls of EVERY dispensation can see how the human race got to be where it is now; where it is headed, and what one must do to receive the blessings and avoid the wrath of God.
The question that needs to asked and answered by each one of us alive on the Earth right now, is that if the Rapture were to take place in the next 2 seconds, where would YOU and those you care for be? If the Rapture does not take place in your lifetime, where would you be if the day that your soul is required of you (Luke 12: 20) turns out to be today? Sooner or later, one way or another, we ALL have a day of departure coming. God gives most of us great latitude to live our lives how we choose to, but keep in mind that we are going to be spending a lot more time (all of eternity) where we find ourselves than the relatively brief time we had here on Earth. While perceived to be wise and prosperous in the eyes of self or Man, divine viewpoint labels one one a fool who spends his time, energy, and resources focused on life here on Earrh if he/she neglects the spiritual life in the process.
The good news is that no one here on Earth has to be among those left behind when the Rapture takes place. All born again believers of the Church Age will be Raptured away and will not return until the forthcoming Great Tribulation is complete. There has always been a degree of persecution and tribulation for the people of God in EVERY dispensation, but there has never been, nor will there ever be a period of time so horrific as will take place here on Earth AFTER the Rapture and BEFORE the Second Advent.
Aside from the eternal consequences awaiting ALL unbelievers (John 3: 18/Rev. 20: 13, 15), I can think of no greater motivation to share the Gospel Message with family and friends in light of what the Scripture has to say concerning the horrific events that will be experienced by all souls left behind if the Rapture should take place during their lifetime here on Earth.
Certainly if there was a global plague rapidly consuming the human race and one had access to the ONLY cure, one would do all he/she could to see to it that everyone he/she cared for would receive it. Yet, how many who claim to be Christians DO have the ONE and ONLY remedy for spiritual death, and do not share the knowledge of the true Gospel Message with anyone for a variety of lame excuses that the devil promotes. Better to have family and friends upset with you now, than have them find themselves in the lake of fire wondering why you did not care enough to share the cure!
Religious people judge sinners, whereas spiritual people judge the sin! One way reflects the way the Pharisees, whereas the other reflects the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. Advancing disciples are being conformed to the likeness of Christ (Rom. 8: 29). Looking down one's nose at others is one form of sin that God specifically "hates-". Keep in mind that when you point your judgmental finger at others, take note of the configuration of your own hand and you will see three more fingers pointing back at you. Those with spiritual discernment will see these fingers to be symbolic of the finers of the God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy spirit.
God, whose Son's image we are to be conformed, hates ALL sin, but loves ALL sinners.
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We may or may not be the generation of Man that is on the Earth when the Rapture takes place, but we ALL are, sooner or later going to depart this Earth in the capacity of either a born again believer headed for Heaven, or a spiritually dead soul headed for Hell.
For those left behind, identifying (Rev. 14: 9) oneself with the "beast" here on Earth will eventually result in, "...drink(ing) of the wine of wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of the beast (Rev. 14: 10).
Since receiving the mark of the beast will be required to conduct ANY daily business or activity, and not receiving the mark of the beast will identify the non-conformists as enemies of the state (beast), it does not take the mind of a theologian to see what life will be like for persons who become born again believers during the Great Tribulation period that follows the Rapture and precedes the Second Advent.
Scripture that during the Great Tribulation to come, the sovereignty of God will allow the devil much latitude in light of all the horrific events that ARE going to take place.
The beast sees the USA and her allies as being the primary obstacle in the way of removing Israel from their path to eventual world domination to the glory of Allah. The re-establishing of the nation of Israel as a sovereign state in the 1940's was a MAJOR step and indication that the world stage was and is being set up for the fulfillment of the END TIME prophecies and the RETURN of Christ. Keep in mind, that the closer we come to the return the Christ means that the Rapture (that precedes it) is even closer.
Israel, and ANY of her allies, are viewed as the number one obstacle in the way of Allah's rule. The Middle East is where the final world conflict(s) will take place, and it will be in Jersualem (Israel) where the Lord will geographically RETURN with His entire Church and establish the millennial kingdom of God.
The global Kingdom of God will be established at the Second Advent. The Second Advent involves the Return of Christ with the whole Church. Since the death of the first Church Age believer to the present time, the LOCATION of the Church has involved both Heaven and Earth. Departed Church Age believing souls who have physically died are not in any cemetery, urn, or watery grave. Only the bodily remains. The souls of departed believers are alive and well in interim bodies being with the Lord Jesus Christ in the 3rd Heaven (1 Cor. 12: 2).
There is a coming day when the entire Church (in Heaven and on Earth) will be re-united (1 Thess. 4: 15-17). It is at that time that Church Age believers who had been in interim bodies in Heaven will receive their resurrected bodies of glory, and the believers on the Earth will have their natural bodies of Earth transformed into their bodies of glory, having never experienced physical death. It is at that time that the Church, as a whole, will be reunited and meet the Lord in the air above the Earth.
Sovereignty is the right and the accompanying power of someone or something to rule or to govern without any outside pressure or interference.
As we will see later on in the course of this study, that although the sovereignty of the state is sanctioned in Scripture (Romans 13), the sovereignty of the state is conditionally delegated by and remains to be subject to the absolute divine sovereignty of God (John 19: 11). The power of the state can do nothing that God , through His permissive will, does not at least allow to take place. ALL that God allows to take place ultimately serves a divine purpose, even though many times we are unable to perceive it at the time. There is no military force or national security organization (domestic or foreign) that can advance unless God so decrees (Psalms 27/Psalms 127: 1).
A declining economy, ungodly leadership, natural disasters, and impotence on the battlefield(s) are all manifestations of divine discipline being imposed by God on a wayward or backsliding nation. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a military force on Earth that God did not or will not be put in its place when the divine order called for it. History is replete with examples of relatively small and weak armies either defeating its enemy or eluded the grasp of over-whelming military forces opposing them.
God imposes various degrees of national divine discipline, with each new level resulting in more serious temporal consequences (Leviticus 26) than the previous one. The maxim form of national discipline being the temporary or permanent removal from the Community of nations as an independent, sovereign nation.
As the Creator of the universe, God is sovereign over all that He created for His own glory. As God, He is free to do anything that He pleases that is in keeping with HIs own character and nature, word, and agenda. Man was not created for God to glorify him. Man was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing conflict taking place in the spiritual realm that began BEFORE the creation of Man.
God has used the actions of both godly and ungodly individuals and nations to inevitably fulfill HIs will. The timing of the rise, degree of influence, decline, or fall of ANY nation is in the hands of God (Acts 17: 26), with each one knowingly or unwittingly playing its role.
Old (Books of Daniel/Isiah) and New Testament (The Gospels/Epistles) prophecies (many already fulfilled and some still pending) shed some light on the identity and activity of the major empires and nations that has brought us to the point of history in which we are now living, and portray the national and international events that will bring us to the Second Advent (Return of Christ). Additional prophecies in the Book of Revelation have shed some light on what God has planned for the future of the human race. These events, some horrific and some glorious, are not events that might happen, but are events that have happened, are happening, and will happen in accordance with divine timing.
The sovereignty of the state is established and exercised via the various forms of secular government, such as a theocracy, a monarchy, a dictatorship, a democratic republic, a confederacy, etc.. The populace of a nation under ANY of these forms of government can be blessed or cursed as a result of the free-will decisions made by those in positions of authority. Godly (national) living brings about godly blessing, and ungodly (national) living brings about godly national discipline. NO nation is free from "any" outside pressure when that "outside" pressure is God. National sovereignty is a delegated authority and is subject to the ultimate and absolute sovereignty of God.
Until the New Heavens and the New Earth are established (Rev. 22), there will always be a degree of evil (and its consequences) on the individual, national, and international level. It is the presence of godly people within any given nation that largely preserves its security (Gen 18: 23-32). It is by no coincidence that the fall or decline of the great (humanly speaking) nations and empires of human history was preceded by a general disregard for God and the things of God on the part of its leadership and much of the population of the empires or nations involved.
When a government (or the majority of the people being governed) ask for outside help to assistance from other nation(s) to retain or establish a new sovereign government,, those being asked are faced with difficult choices. In truth, how much "interest" in the hardships of other nations is often weighed on the scales of self-interests to see if the assistance is worth the investment. Such SELF interests include the impact on one's own economy, access to natural resources, and political posturing as the super-powers jockey for position and compete for world dominance and influence.
Moral, social, racial, and humanitarian "concerns" is often no more than a smoke screen to conceal the real agenda while garnering public support in nations where public support is an issue with the governing authority. Public opinion in in the USA is high on the list of concerns for politicians, whereas public opinion under some other forms of government throughout the world's community of nations is of little (if any) concern. Expressing opions contrary to the official position of the state can cost one his head in many parts of the world.
The insanity of using weapons of mass destruction on a global scale in a nuclear exchange has redefined the tactics of modern day warfare, as well as turning the traditional balance of power on its head. Having the biggest guns, when the use of them would be an act of insanity, is relatively meaningless, dangerous, and even suicidal. Even if the military has the means to take out or neutralize the existing government of a "hostile" nation with minimal collateral destruction to the nation itself, the resulting internal chaos can give birth to a more dangerous situation than what was in place before the war, as competing factions struggle to be the new king of the hill. Such factions will take all the assistance they can garner to remove an existing government, but totally reject outside interference when it comes time to establish the new.
History has shown over and over again that the conclusion of many wars only serve to set the stage for the next.
The practical inability to make use of weapons of mass destruction for fear of triggering a retaliatory response that has the capability of devastating the world as we know it to be today, has placed even the smallest of nations in a position of being a catalyst to ignite a major conflict between the world's super powers. Securing a moment of world domination would not accomplish very much if the spoils of war consists largely of a nuclear waste dump with an atmosphere that will slowly kill the "winning" survivors.
A vile of bacterial weaponry that can fit into the hands of a single terrorist has the potential capability of eliminating more persons than were killed (or later died) as a result the usage of atomic weaponry that brought World War 2 to its conclusion.
It's a disturbing thought, but the truth is who is labeled as "terrorist", a "commando", a "revolutionary", or a "patriot" is dependent on which side of the conflict one is on and wh0 wins the war!
Here in the dispensation of the Church Age, the Church that God designed has been called to focus on the spiritual needs that apply to every soul regardless of race, gender, or nationality.
The Christian Community's unauthorized partnering with secular government has proved to be disastrous throughout its history giving rise to a form of tyranny that brought the "Church" to some of its darkest periods of history. More modern day attempts to legislate issues of personal morality has clearly backfired, opening the door of the secular courts to adopt laws that reflect human viewpoint and reject divine viewpoint. As a result, many laws that once prohibited acts forbidden in Scripture have not only been repealed, but have gone as far as to grant those involved with protected rights and the political freedom to engage in such behaviors.
Born again, edified, "Christians" do (should) NOT need for there to be a law on the secular books requiring certain actions or prohibiting others in order to learn and apply the Word of God.
Christians are called (Matt.. 28: 19) to be edified (Matt. 7: 24) in order to develop their own edified soul structure as a base of operations, with the long term objective of be prepared to give a Biblical answer (1 Pet. 3: 15) to spiritual and moral issues for the spiritual enlightenment of others (1 Cor. 12: 7). This need has never been greater that it is now when much of the Christian Community is filled with so much apostasy here in the End Times (2 Tim. 4: 1), and has become focused on everything else but what it was commissioned to do! In this the devil is well-pleased.
The principle of the coexistence between the sovereignty of the state and the sovereignty of the Church did not originate with First Admendment of the US Constitution. The Lord Jesus made this point clear in (Mark 12: 17). Scripture also endorses the payment of taxes for the support and function of secular government (Rom. 13: 6).
Military service, when called to serve, is a Biblically endorsed principle dating back to the ancient world (Numbers 1: 3). God cannot endorse ANYTHING that can be legitimately be labeled sin. For Christians to reap the benefits of the secular nation in which GOD placed them, and not be willing to serve in its military is not a postion that can be Biblically substantiated.
The Bible (Ex. 20: 13), when accurately translated and applied as a whole, teaches that Thou shall not MURDER and not that thou shall not kill
as some of the ENGLISH translations of Scripture would suggest. The Bible ( Eccl. 3: 3, 8 ) teaches that there are times to kill , and that there are times for war. The Bible teaches that there are times when other actions that involve killing is excusable and/or justifiable. Among them is when a death was accidental, in acts of self-defense or in the defense of others, capital punishment imposed by the state, and in the course of military or police service. Secular laws have gone to great lengths to define when a life can be taken and the one taking the life is not subject to either criminal prosecution or civil liability.
The divine and/or secular accountability for the taking of human life is not to be taken lightly, but there are times when doing so neither violates the laws of God or Man. Time and space do not allow for a detailed elaboration of these subjects in the course of this study, but are lessons to be studied on another day.
The Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19) encompasses ALL members of the human race, regardless of race, gender, social-economic status, education, or nationality. True believers, past and present, have risked life and limb to promote and maintain the TRUE Gospel Message and accurate Bible Doctrine in the face of political, social, familial, and "relig0us" persecution, imprisonment, forfeiture of goods, property, and martyrdom.
Sad to say, but the ONE and ONLY tangible source (The Bible) for spiritual edification that God (2 Tim. 3: 16) provided for Man does little more than collect dust in the homes of many who claim to be Christians. In many local assemblies, the Word of God and is only (at best) being passively commented on by those standing behind many pulpits, and being grossly misrepresented and applied in others. in the day and age in which we a living.
History is replete with extremists in virtually every religious/political group that has come along who have self-determined to sacrifice their own lives in order to "make a statement" for their religious/political beliefs.
In the day and age in which we live, when such extremists gain access to weapons of mass destruction, there is no end (short of what God decrees) to the possibilities or the extent of harm that such persons or groups of persons can generate. This blind devotion is enhanced when those involved believe that such sacrifice will be greatly rewarded by their deity of choice! Justifying "holy wars" in the name of religion is NOTHING new. It has been a part of human history ever since the concept of separate nations became a reality following the separation of the people at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11) combined with the expansion of worldly religions (Psalms 96).
The promise of eternal blessing in exchange for participating in the Crusades was a part of the recruitment policy of the Vatican.
Especially in ancient times, many wars and their outcomes were perceived to be the work of competing deities in which the various tribes or nations involved served like pawns in an international game of Chess. While promoting the concept of their being only of ONE true God, the outcome of any war being in the hands of God is not a foreign concept to Christian doctrine based on such passages as Acts 17: 26.
According to the common beliefs of the ancient world, wars or battles could be lost if the inferior "god(s)" of the losers was either lacking in power, or if it/they allowed the defeat of their people as an act of discipline to punish them for disobedience.. Scripture teaches that there is ONLY one true God, and that the perceived "gods" of the peoples of the world are idols (s) (Psalms 96). Scripture (Acts 17: 26) teach that the ONE God directs or allows the rise and fall of all nations to ultimately fulfill His will. To the extent that God allows, satanic influence plays a significant part in the agenda of nations that are hostile towards Jews and Christian alike.
A diminished impact of its international influence (Lev. 26: 19) accompanied by partial or complete loss on the battlefield (Lev. 26: 17) are among the consequences that a client nation can receive from God, with the maximum consequence being its removal as a sovereign state in the eyes of the community of nations in the world.
The sovereignty of God applies to ALL nations, but there are five cycles of divine discipline (Lev. 26) that APPLY to all "client nations" as of 70 AD (when Israel was no longer God's client nation) until the end time prophecies are to be fulfilled. At that time the NATION of Israel will once again be the focus of attention.
Each level of discipline is more severe than the previous one (Lev. 26). During the dispensation of the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was the client nation of God, going through periods of both tremendous blessing along with periods of great discipline. Israel's return as a sovereign nation in the 1940's was a major fulfillment of End Time prophecy.
There have been several client nations during the dispensation of the Church Age that God has used to promote the Great Commission. God has used both good and evil nations to fulfil their roles as they continue to set the stage for the fulfillment of the End Time prophecies that will be fulfilled after the end of the Church Age. Note that I said the end of the Church AGE and not the end of the Church. The Church, consisting of the collective body of the souls of all born again believers here on Earth, as well as those who have already departed, will ALWAYS have their place (1Thess. 4: 17) and function(s) (Rev. 20: 6/1Cor. 2: 9/etc.) throughout all of eternity. Most of the "Church" is now in Heaven with usully only two or generations of believers on the Earth at any given time.
A "client" nation is one whose people identify with the God of the Bible, and one that is used by God to accomplish specific objectives in the Master Plan of God. The blessings that God bestoes on a client nation, in part, is what provides the opportunity for believers residing there to take part in the Great Commission that was given to the Church at large. To understand what the role a client nation is to serve, one must have knowledge of what the primary SPIRITUAL objective is for that period of history. MANY nations (Daniel 6) have been and will be used by God to bring about the prophesied End Time POLITICAL scenario (Rev.19: 19) that sets the stage for the Second Advent to take place.
Running concurrently with the prophesied political environment is the fulfillment of the Great Commission. ONLY (John 15: 5) Spirit-filled BELIEVERS can be used of God to accomplish His SPIRITUAL agenda. Such believers can be found in all nations, but especially in the client that God has promoted, among other reasons, for that very purpose.
The PRIMARY spiritual agenda for the Church Age involves the Great Commission (Matt, 28: 19, 20). The Great Commission involves the preservation and the proclamation of the TRUE GOSPEL MESSAGE to unbelievers and the making of disciples (students and appliers of the Word of God) out of born again believers on a global level, oblivious to ALL political, religious, social, economical, educational, cultural, and racial barriers (1John 2: 2).
A client nation need NOT to be an official (governmentally recognized) "Christian" nation. The USA, constitutionally speaking, can NOT endorse ANY religion, nor can it interfere in ANY of the religious practices of citizenry. Never-the-less, until its more recent history was clearly perceived to be a predominately Christian nation with the majority of its population and leaders identifying themselves with basic Christain values..
A client nation will be the recipient of BOTH divine blessing (for obedience) and divine discipline (for disobedience), as long as it functions in the capacity of a client nation. While a client nation is in line to receive more divine blessings, it is also open to more discipline.
There is an additional personal/national blessing or curse being the result of how one treats or mistreats the Jews in any given land (Gen. 12: 3). Although many of the orthodox Jews of His Day rejected the Lord Jesus Christ, there were many who believed. Mary, Joseph, and the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ were all Jews. Many of the first members and leaders of the Church were Jews (Acts 2: 41), as were the apostles.
God's NATIONAL promises to the nation of Israel will ALL be fulfilled. Anti-semitism is a policy that the devil promotes. as he knows that the end time and future prophecies, as the Bible foretells, cannot take place without there being a nation of Israel at the time! The devil has his own reasons for not wanting the end time prophecies to be fulfilled (Rev. 20: 10).
The USA, I believe, is (at least at the present time) a client nation of God. That status, and the corresponding blessings that it has received could change as it has for nations who functioned in that capacity as well. As a "client" nation, the USA has been serving one major SPIRITUAL purpose and one political purpose concerning end time prophecies.
I believe that the USA's spiritual purpose is its part in the fulfillment of the Great Commission evidenced by the fact in more recent history that the majority of the organizations that are involved in the Great Commission are supported by Church Age believers residing in the USA.
I believe that its political purpose is to continue to provide a wall of military protection around the nation of Israel until the stage is set for the events that lead up to the Second Advent. Rather or not the USA will choose to abandon its alliance with Israel or be otherwise unwilling or incapable of providing an effective military defense for Israel as the Battle of Armageddon takes center stage remains to be seen.
Scripture speaks of a great ultimate victory for God and the destruction of the beast and its forces by the angelic armies of Heaven (Rev. 19: 19, 20), but not before a time so horrific (Matt. 24: 21) for the people involved during the final years leading up to the Second Advent. that, "unless those days had not been cut short (by the manifestation of the Second Advent) no life would have been saved (Matt. 24: 22 NASB italics mine)." Details of these events are the subject matter for another study on another day. What we need to understand, as it pertains to the Doctrine of Sovereignty is that God's sovereignty rules supreme and that the soverrignty of the states or coalition involved in these end time events are subject to the ultimate will and plan of God outlined in Scripture.
Believers can be come weary warriors to the point they become spiritual worriers if they are not aware or reminded of what the devil's tactics (2 Cor. 2: 11) and objectives (1 Pet. 5: 8) are. All advancing disciples will go through periods of time that it seems like there will never be any relief from the pressure that the is being allows to throw at us, but it is when the remind ourselves of what he is after that we can dig in and resist him with the power that God supplies. NOTHING is more frustrating for the devil than to have thrown his best punch that God allows and not succeed in our destruction.
Skeptics will raise doubts (2 Pet. 3: 4), but like everything else that God is involved in, these End Time events will not materialize one second earlier or be one second later than what God has already determined. Note the ignorance and false conclusions in the mindset of the unbelievers: "...Where is the (fulfillment of) his (second) coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep (death of believers in past generations), all continues as it was from the beginning of creation (2 Pet.3: 4 NASB italics mine)." Even a child in Sunday School knows that much has taken place since Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden and even the most naïve person can see that this world as a whole is on a path of self-destruction. Witho0ut the over-ruling will of God being manifested, I believe that Man would have been the means of his own self-destruction a long time ago.
When Scripture (Matt. 24: 37) speaks of the world environment being like the days of Noah just before the Second Advent takes place, ii is speaking of a return to the level of evil (Gen. 6: 5) and its consequences that were in place in the days of Noah on one hand, yet a continuation of life as usual on the other. Those with spiritual discernment will see that the stage has been set, whereas those lacking spiritual discernment will see life going on as it has in the past, dismissing all warnings that End Time prophecies could be fulfilled in their lifetime here on Earth.
No ONE listened to the preaching of Noah during the construction of the Ark, but THEN it started to rain and GOD closed the door of the Ark (Gen. 7: 16). One can reach a point from which there is no return. My prayer for you is that as an unbeliever heading for Hell can still hear the pre-salvation voice of God calling you to salvation in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message, or that as a believer can still hear the post salvation voice of God calling you to identify and engage in the TRUE post salvation spiritual life, then, "....do not harden your hearts (Heb. 3: 15 NASB)", but open the door so that He can come in and dine (establish a personal and intimate relationship with you- Rev. 3: 20 ) before it is too late.
Rejecting the Gospel Message results in an eternity in what the Bible calls the lake of fire. The lake of fire is NOT place of extermination, but one of eternal (never ending) suffering and separation from God. Rejecting the call to post salvation discipleship results in an eternity in Heaven, but one without all the rewards and privileges that one could have also received for having brought glory to God while here on Earth.
The sovereignty of God EQUALLY assures EVERY soul of spending all of eternity in either Heaven or Hell, and the souls of believers to either receive or to forfeit rewards.
Only God knows if any one us here on Earth today will be among those who will still be here when the Rapture takes or if we will be with those who have departed as generations before us have done. BOTH groups have an active part in what takes place in the Rapture.
In the meantime, Church believers who are here on Earth have their individual (1 Cor. 12) and corporate (Matt. 28: 19, 20) work to do concerning the promotion of the TRUE Gospel and the making of disciple ( Matt. 28: 19, 20). If the Rapture should take place during our time here on Earth, will the Lord find us enaged in the work He had for us, or will be conformed to the likeness of the unbelievers around us, more concerned with the here and now?
The ingenious of the devil is how he will take an actual Doctrine of Scripture and put a different spin on it to suck in the participation of Man and achieve his own diabolical objective(s). No one can misquote or misapply what God has said with effect better than the devil himself. It worked well in the Garden of Eden and with a few exceptions (Matt. 4/Luke 4) has worked well throughout human history. There is nothing more pitiful than a person or groups of persons doing the devil's bidding while believing that he/she is doing the work of God (John 16: 2).
* * *
Wars do have their part in the unfolding of the divine plan for the human race (Daniel 7). The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that war and rumors of war will be a part of the human experience and environment, and that these things "must -Matt. 24:)" take place. The form of "peace" that was brought to the Earth with the First Advent was not of the interpersonal or international variety. The form of peace announced by the Christmas angel (Luke 2: 14) referred to peace between God and those who would received His gift of salvation. The blessed peacemakers of (Matt. 5: 9) are those who proclaim the Gospel. Being at peace with God will motivate one to be at peace with others, to the extent that circumstances allow (Romans 12: 18), but one must NOT confuse the form of peace spoken of in Luke 2: 14 with interpersonal or international peace. Those who confuse the two will mock God and the people of God, asking where the "peace on Earth" is when in truth it has been right in front of us since the Gospel was first announced.
Identifying with the promotion of the TRUE Gospel Message, alliance with Israel, and/or affiliation with the Christian Community at large as an individual or as a nation, especially here in the End Times, will be the cause of conflict, not peace, here in the devil's world (Matt. 10: 34). There is a period of time coming of sustained international peace, but NOT until the AFTER the Second Advent.
Many who engage in war do so without knowing that they are advancing either the direct or permissive will of God.
Ancient kings, chiefs, and warriors sought the intercession of the "gods" when engaging in war, and the devil promotes anything that promotes the concept that there are other god(s) in addition to or in place of the God of the Bible. Both the victors and the losers of wars in the ancient world sought the blessings or grace of the god/God of the victors, having (in theirs eyes) proven to be the superior god. Desecrating the temples and the removal of the religious icons was a common practice among many of the victorious nations. The Persian, and later the Roman, empire saw the political advantage of allowing conquered nations to retain their religious practices and a degree a self-governing provided they did nothing that would be considered to be a crime against the new found state.
In the day and age in which we are now living, the mobilization of large military forces over air, land, or sea will not go undetected, but the forming and deployment of terrorist units can not be as easily monitored or addressed. This is especially true in a free society where the government is limited as to what it can do until AFTER an act has been carried out, where as those even suspected of being an "enemy of the state" in nations where such freedom does not exist, are rounded up and never heard of again.
The resources and opportunities of the average terrorist or terrorist cell does not allow them to organize and execute many extraordinary events such as was witness on 9/ 11 in New York City and Washington, DC, but the collective havoc and fear that single or small groups of terrorists can collectively make, functioning independently but for a united purpose, is what makes them a clear and present danger.
End time prophesies speak of the there being a "beast". This beast, I believe, is NOT a single nation or empire in the traditional sense of the words, but a group of nations who are bonded by their religious beliefs, as well as individuals and groups of individuals who live among the nations of world who reside in the land of what they perceive to be "infidels". The ultimate goal it is to bring the world under the domain and glory of Allah. Its strategy is, and will be, both military and philosophical in nature. Individuals and nations who choose to identify and submit to their agenda will be welcomed with opened arms, but those who oppose them are considered (by them) enemies worthy of death.
ANY "other God", spiritual agenda, or political "obstacle" that stands in the way must be removed. At the present time, the nation of Israel and its western allies are the primary "obstacles". Land entitlement to Jerusalem and the surrounding area goes back to inheritance rights being claimed by opposing peoples who descended from Abraham.
The Vatican tried to capture and retain control over Jerusalem during the Crusades in an attempt to establish an earthly Kingdom of God.
After the immediate actions of the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent takes place, Jerusalem will be the HQ of the global kingdom under the rule of the Lord Jesus Christ, but NOT before.
The Biblical prophecies concerning the nation of Israel and the "Church" of the Lord Jesus Christ that is promoted by many of Isreal's western allies is in direct contradiction to the political and religious agenda of the followers of Allah. THIS is the basic bone of contention between the nations of the Middle East and ANY nation or collation of nations that side with Israel or any of her western allies. Scripture clearly reveals the destruction of the beast and the global reign of the Lord Jesus Christ in a kingdom headquarterered in Jersualem.
The USA is the chief "western" ally of concern to the beast. At least at one time, 90% of the world's evangelistic (preaching of the Gospel) was being financed by organizations within the USA. The "birth of the Church" took place in Jerusalem (Acts 2), and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the establishment of His "kingdom ON Earth" will be headquartered in Jerusalem. Jerusalem and the Middle East is the focus of attention of any Church Age believer who knows ANYTHING about end time and future Biblical prophecies yet to be fulfilled.
The Christian faith and future hopes has much to do with the Holy Land of the Middle East and the national destiny of Israel. In accordance with God's timing, these events will take place regardless of what independent or contrary foreign policy the UN, USA, Israel, or ANY other nation or coalition may impose concerning its involvement in Middle East affairs. God is in charge and His sovereign rule will prevail.
Never-the-less, the leadership of the USA would be well-advised to keep in mind that the blessing/curse principle of (Gen. 12:3) is still in place, as it has been throughout human history. In her more recent history, the USA has brought on herself enough national discipline via the ungodly choices its society has taken without adding more fuel to the fire, but that is another subject for another day.
* "I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you (Gen. 12: 3 NASB)."
Some prophecies speak of post (after) Second Advent activities of the "beast" (Rev. 19: 19). This confirms the fact that the "beast" is not going away (or be put away) until after the Rapture ( 1 Thess. 4; 15-17) takes place and the Church r-e-t-u-r-n-s with Christ to establish the 1,000 year GLOBAL kingdom, headquartered in Jerusalem.
Obviously before the Church can RETURN with Christ, it must first have been taken away. It will be taken away (1 Thess. 4: 15-17) while the "beast" is here and active here on Earth, as it is today. The post (after) Second Advent activity of the "beast" (Rev. 19: 19) confirms that the beast will still be here on Earth AFTER the return of Christ (Rev. 19:11+), but soon thereafter the beast will face its prophesied end (Rev. 19: 20).
The beast is here and active in the world in which we are living and is not going to go away. It will be working behind the scenes right up to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent. Keep in mind that Scripture does not portray a beautiful world that has prepared itself for the coming Messiah, but one whose environment will be so horrible (Matt. 24: 21) during the final period of time just before HIs return that, "... unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved...(Matt. 24: 22 NASB>" It will be cut short by the Return of Christ.
The present-day, short term objective of the beast is the destruction of the nation of Israel and her allies, and the long term objective is for global domination of the world for the glory of Allah. The devil supports ANY religion or religious practice that would deny God the glory due Him. We do NOT all worship the same god using different names and methods (Psalms 96: 5). There is only one God and one way (John 14: 6) to connect with Him.
Lef to its own devices, the human race would self-destruct (Matt. 24: 22), but God has other plans. It is only the omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent sovereign God of the universe that can hold this world together long enough to fulfill His plan. His future plan for the human race involves both Israel and Church; two elements that the agenda of the beast cannot allow to exist if its (the beasts) agenda is t0 succeed. Note that the "church" began in Israel (Acts 2) and to the day includes ALL the Jews and Gentiles who come to believe in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Several of the End Time prophesies concerning the NATION of Israel will take place AFTER the Church. Born again Jews living in Israel or anywhere else here on Earth are a part of the Church and will be taken away in the Rapture. (including its Jewish members) are Raptured away. God has a plan for the Jews left behind in Israel after the Rapture takes place (Rev. 14). It will be in Jerusalem that the earthly kingdom with global dominion will be established following the Second Advent. The national prophesies of glory for the nation of Israel will be fulfilled.
The timing of the political rise, duration, extent of regional or global influence, as well as the timing of the decline orr fall of ALL nations or empires is in the hands of God (Acts 17: 26). The sovereignty of the nations is subject to the sovereignty of God. There is no military force or domestic agencies that can protect or preserve a nation or empire that God decides its time for it to go.
Civil wars, revolutions, localized, regional, and international wars have been (and will continue to be - Matt. 24: 6) a part of the human experience here on Earth. There will NEVER be a period of s-u-s-t-a-i-n-e-d peace without at least the threat of war on a global level on the horizon, until international affairs are managed and maintained by the manifestation of kingdom of the Lord Jesus that is established at the Second Advent.
Premature and unauthorized attempts by "religious" leadership to establish "the Kingdom of God" here on Earth through military, social, and financial pressure, have ALL failed. These attempts include the ones made by the Vatican included the placement of bishops who held high positions of influence over the people in the courts of emperors, monarchs (kings/queens) of the world.
Surely, many of the most evil political and religious leaders throughout human history perceived themselves as being God's chosen ruler here on Earth. One can make the Bible appear to say just about anything that a clever speaker wants it to say in order to justify his/her actions, as MANY of these political and religious leaders have done.
By being a legitimate heir to the an existing or future throne, or merely holding a difference of opinion than the one held by an existing monarch or government could cost one his life in the ancient world. The same "enemy of the state" exists in many parts of the world today.
As the doccumented accounts in the Old Testament books of Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, etc., record, being made king does NOT mean that as such, he would necessarily conduct himself as a "godly" king might do. The same can be said of MANY who have put themselves or have been put by others in a positions of leadership in the religious realm, some of which were NEVER a part of the divine plan for the structure of Church.
After being a great persecutor of the early Church, the Roman Empire Rome saw the value that a uniformed system of "religion" could contribute to uniting and controlling the masses within its diverse empire. The bond (or tyranny) that the union of religion and politics can foster can be enormous.
I believe the leadership within what had been established as the local "Church" in Rome at that time thought that bonding with the Roman Empire could serve the interests in the global expansion of the "Christian" Community. During the Church Age, Scripture calls for the coexistence (Matt. 22: 21) of Church (Matt. 16: 18) and State (Romans 13), but IF and WHEN placed in a position to choose between civil disobedience and divine obedience, one's first duty is to God (Acts 4: 19)
Trying to accomplish God's objectives with human ways and means will FAIL every time and often prove to be counter-productive. While the territory of the "Christian World" spread rather rapidly following the bed-partnering with the Roman Empire, so did much of the false teachings and practices that were then incorporated into the ever-expanding geographical domain with the aid of the Roman Empire and later into the political domain of Europe.
It's been said that some of European people who came to America did so seeking the freedom OF religion, when in fact they came seeking freedom FROM religion. Failure to discern what is "religious" and what is "spiritual" has been an internal issue of the Christian Community from it very beginning (Gal. 3).
I place quotation marks around the word "Christian" because God's definition and design for the Church in structure, function, and leadership is quite different from that in which most people perceive the "Christian" Church and/or community to be in the times in which we are living.
With the influence and power of "religion" having the support of the Roman Empire., the Christian World was on a course of tyranny and apostacy that even the Protestant Reformation could not resolve. It was NOT the initial desires of the Reformers to start a "new" Church, but to the bring the atexisting Church at the time back to its Biblical roots in structure and doctrine, purging itself of all the damage that Man in the name of "religion" had created.
There is no greater source of influential power here on Earth (humanly speaking) than when "religion" and "state" get together. When these combined forces work for the good, great nations and world-wide benefits can be the result. But when these same forces unite for the worse, there (humanly speaking) can be no end to the harm and destruction it can inflict. Human nature, being what it is, will time and time again prove the reality of John Dalberg-Acton's old saying, " Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power absolutely corrupts"!
Jesus Christ confirmed the coexistence but INDEPENDENT relationship that the Church He designed was to assume with the state (secular governments) during the dispensation of the Church Age. "....Then render unto Caesar (temporal/secular authorities) the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's (Matt. 22: 21 NASB italics mine)." IF and when placed in a postion where one must choose to favor one to the exclusion of the other, the advancing disciple is to chose to obey God (Acts 5: 29). Otherwise, Christians are commanded to pay taxes (Romans 13) and have a healthy respect for the secular government.
It is when the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20) has been completed (Matt. 24: 14) that the TRUE Church will be Raptured (1 Thess. 4: 15-17). The "end" being spoken of in Matt. 24: 14 is NOT the end of the world (yet-2Pet.3:10), nor is it the end of the Church, but the END of the Church Age HERE on Earth. The Church Age began at the Feast of Pentecost shortly after the ascension (Acts. 1: 9) of the Lord Jesus Christ, and will end at the Rapture.
The 1,000 year Kingdom of God, that will be established HERE on Earth following the Second Advent, will not be the result of the military, religious, political, or social accomplishment(s) of Man, but God will make use of the free-will exercising of the sovereignty of the nations involved to set the stage (Rev. 19: 19).
Most (if not all) of the persons left behind at the Rapture and are in or assume positions of leadership will have NO clue that they are fulfilling Biblical prophecy any more than did Pontius Pilate, and will do what they consider to be most politically expedient as the Battle of Armageddon is organized and executed. There will be NO true Christians on Earth, let alone ones in positions of authority when the Rapture takes place.
Keep in mind that ALL Church Age believers living on the Earth at the time of the Rapture will have already been Raptured and will not return until AFTER the final events leading up to the Second Advent take place. If there are any tribulation believers (those who are born again AFTER the Rapture takes place) holding positions of governmental influence, they will not be able to turn the tide of the horrific END TIME events that will precede the Second Advent.
The "elect" of Matthew 24: 22 are those who are born again during the relatively brief, but horrific Great Tribulation period that follows the Rapture and precedes the Second Advent. God will make the TRUE Gospel known to those left behind at the Rapture during the Great Tribulation period that will afford them the opportunity to be saved, but at GREAT personal risk during their time here on Earth. Those who do not receive the identifying mark of the beast will be considered "enemies of the state" and be treated accordingly, but anyone who chooses to receive the mark will face the wrath of God upon leaving this planet and meeting their Maker (Rev. 14: 9, 10, 11).
A lot of time as been spent trying to comprehend all that the Bible has to say about End Time prophecies that will be fulfilled AFTER the Rapture takes place. While the knowledge of such things can be a great motivator to share the Gospel Message with family and friends, the fact remains that Church Age believers will NOT be on the Earth as of the Rapture, but will return to Earth with the Lord Jesus Christ at the Second Advent. Accordingly, the worst phase of all the horrific end time events will not be experienced by Church Age believers.
Why then, would God choose to include such things in HIs Word? The answer is that the BIBLE and all it contains is not all about you (us)!
The Word of God includes all the animal sacrifices, dietary restrictions, tithing, etc., that DID have a part in the spiritual life of believers during the Old Testament dispensation. The Word of God includes the Great Commission and Church Age doctrine that (should) defines and regulates the spiritual life of Church Age believers. The Word of God includes information that will be relevant to Tribulation saints, that is, those who become born again after being left behind as an unbeliever when the Rapture takes place. The Word of God contains information regarding FUTURE events that will take place in FUTURE dispensations (periods of time). Among the FUTURE events is the Second Advent (return of Christ), the destruction of the "beast", the setting up and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ in the millennial kingdom of God to be headquartered in Jerusalem, the incarceration of the devil, the final revolt, the final incarceration of the devil, Judgment Day(s) for the believer and the unbeliever, the final destruction of the physical world as we know it to be today, and the New Heavens and Earth to come. Knowing what events DO and DO NOT pertain to you as a Church Age believer will be one of the blessings you will receive for having been obedient to the (2 Pet. 3: 18) command to have grown in God's grace and knowledge. Fear and uncertainty, concerning END TIME, future, or eternal events will be a part of the divine discipline that one receives for disobedience to the command (not an option) to grow in God's grace and knowledge (2Pet. 3: 18) during one's lifetime here on Earth.
The sovereignty of God is going to see to it that ALL the events prophesied in Scripture take place rather we learn of or understand them or not. What our knowledge and understanding of such things will do for us is to provide for us the opportunity to experience the (Phi. 4: 7) form of peace that surpasses all (human) understanding as such things manifest themselves in the times in which we are living.
The road ahead that I see for TRUE Church Age believers here on Earth is not going to be an easy ride. In truth, it never was. Frankly, I do not see where the majority of those who claim some degree of association with the Christian Community are up for the challenge. I do not see where most of what is coming from pulpits within the Church of our day is doing much to prepare (Eph. 4: 12) it listeners for service and for all the changes that lay ahead in what I believe to be in the very near future. I see little interest in applying the truths of Scripture where it is being taught on any regular basis, when using the "fruits produced" scale as the primary analytical device. If this were not the prophesied status of the Church (2 TIm. 3: 5/2 Tim. 4: 1) here in the End Times, one would not be kept from wondering what in the word is going on within the Christian Community. On the bright side, the darker the environment is around us, the brighter the light that we have to shine.
There is an unprecedented wave of evil and destruction sweeping across the USA and other parts of the world that once were looked upon as lights for cause of Christ. Instead of being light bearers, the lights have gone out and opened the door for the devil to function unabated. Pastor teachers need to step out of their circles of comfort (popularity/acceptance/approval by Man) and toss aside their security blankets (job security/assignment)and DO the JOB that they were ordained to do (Eph. 4: 11, 12). Congregationalists need to get the proverbial wax out of their ears and got on with their part that God ordained for them in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, becoming and functioning as ambassadors for Christ wherever and in doing whatever one finds himself doing in the course of each day!
The Bible is like reading a map. The first thing that one has to do in order to benefit from a map is to determine his present location. The "you are HERE" designation on the information boards at the rest stops along the freeways is a good example.
The first thing that one has to do when using the "map" of the Bible is to determine where one is (spiritually dead or born again). Until one is born again, one has NO location on the map. Next one needs to learn the plan for the Church Age dispensation, as Man is now living in the dispensation of Church Age. The Church Age began at the Feat of Pentecost in Jerusalem (33 AD) and will come to its end at the Rapture. Developing an understanding of what the TRUE post (after) salvation life is all about (and what it is not about) is what gets us and keeps on track.
Correctly identifying what parts of the Old and the New Testament apply to believers here in the dispensation of the Church Age is what the "dividing/handling" principle of 2 Tim.2: 15 is all about. Many false doctrines and practices have become a part of the Chrsitian Community as a result of failing to properly divide the Word of God.
Failure to identify what dispensation (period of time) one is living in and what parts of Scripture do and don't apply to us (at this time) is a key element in building an edified soul structure to be used as a base of operation of the TRUE post salvation spiritual life. Accurate knowledge of what has taken place in past dispensations, and will take place in future dispensations has its place and purpose, but must not be allowed to become a distraction from what the spiritual life HERE in the Church Age is all about.
This is where RELIGION has done a poor job for God and a great job for the devil. Religion has brought Old Testament items and practices back into the Christian Community that has no legitimate place or function here in the Church Age. Furthermore, it has added to the mix many precepts and practices of its own making that are without Biblical substantiation.
There will be NO announcement (outside of End Time prophecy already recorded in the Bible) that the Rapture (1 Thess. 4: 15-17) is about to take place, and it will be all over with in a split second, or as Scripture puts it, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor. 15: 52). At that moment of history, the prophesied (Matt. 24: 14) end of the Church Age will have taken place, opening the door for the horrific FUTURE dispensation of the Great Tribulation that precedes the Second Advent. As we have seen in more recent history, there has been MANY false prophets (those who claim and believe they are speaking for God) making many false predictions concerning the coming Rapture and the Second Advent.
One of the reasons for God providing Man with an account of past events is so that souls of EVERY dispensation can see how the human race got to be where it is now; where it is headed, and what one must do to receive the blessings and avoid the wrath of God.
The question that needs to asked and answered by each one of us alive on the Earth right now, is that if the Rapture were to take place in the next 2 seconds, where would YOU and those you care for be? If the Rapture does not take place in your lifetime, where would you be if the day that your soul is required of you (Luke 12: 20) turns out to be today? Sooner or later, one way or another, we ALL have a day of departure coming. God gives most of us great latitude to live our lives how we choose to, but keep in mind that we are going to be spending a lot more time (all of eternity) where we find ourselves than the relatively brief time we had here on Earth. While perceived to be wise and prosperous in the eyes of self or Man, divine viewpoint labels one one a fool who spends his time, energy, and resources focused on life here on Earrh if he/she neglects the spiritual life in the process.
The good news is that no one here on Earth has to be among those left behind when the Rapture takes place. All born again believers of the Church Age will be Raptured away and will not return until the forthcoming Great Tribulation is complete. There has always been a degree of persecution and tribulation for the people of God in EVERY dispensation, but there has never been, nor will there ever be a period of time so horrific as will take place here on Earth AFTER the Rapture and BEFORE the Second Advent.
Aside from the eternal consequences awaiting ALL unbelievers (John 3: 18/Rev. 20: 13, 15), I can think of no greater motivation to share the Gospel Message with family and friends in light of what the Scripture has to say concerning the horrific events that will be experienced by all souls left behind if the Rapture should take place during their lifetime here on Earth.
Certainly if there was a global plague rapidly consuming the human race and one had access to the ONLY cure, one would do all he/she could to see to it that everyone he/she cared for would receive it. Yet, how many who claim to be Christians DO have the ONE and ONLY remedy for spiritual death, and do not share the knowledge of the true Gospel Message with anyone for a variety of lame excuses that the devil promotes. Better to have family and friends upset with you now, than have them find themselves in the lake of fire wondering why you did not care enough to share the cure!
Religious people judge sinners, whereas spiritual people judge the sin! One way reflects the way the Pharisees, whereas the other reflects the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ. Advancing disciples are being conformed to the likeness of Christ (Rom. 8: 29). Looking down one's nose at others is one form of sin that God specifically "hates-". Keep in mind that when you point your judgmental finger at others, take note of the configuration of your own hand and you will see three more fingers pointing back at you. Those with spiritual discernment will see these fingers to be symbolic of the finers of the God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy spirit.
God, whose Son's image we are to be conformed, hates ALL sin, but loves ALL sinners.
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We may or may not be the generation of Man that is on the Earth when the Rapture takes place, but we ALL are, sooner or later going to depart this Earth in the capacity of either a born again believer headed for Heaven, or a spiritually dead soul headed for Hell.
For those left behind, identifying (Rev. 14: 9) oneself with the "beast" here on Earth will eventually result in, "...drink(ing) of the wine of wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of the beast (Rev. 14: 10).
Since receiving the mark of the beast will be required to conduct ANY daily business or activity, and not receiving the mark of the beast will identify the non-conformists as enemies of the state (beast), it does not take the mind of a theologian to see what life will be like for persons who become born again believers during the Great Tribulation period that follows the Rapture and precedes the Second Advent.
Scripture that during the Great Tribulation to come, the sovereignty of God will allow the devil much latitude in light of all the horrific events that ARE going to take place.
The beast sees the USA and her allies as being the primary obstacle in the way of removing Israel from their path to eventual world domination to the glory of Allah. The re-establishing of the nation of Israel as a sovereign state in the 1940's was a MAJOR step and indication that the world stage was and is being set up for the fulfillment of the END TIME prophecies and the RETURN of Christ. Keep in mind, that the closer we come to the return the Christ means that the Rapture (that precedes it) is even closer.
Israel, and ANY of her allies, are viewed as the number one obstacle in the way of Allah's rule. The Middle East is where the final world conflict(s) will take place, and it will be in Jersualem (Israel) where the Lord will geographically RETURN with His entire Church and establish the millennial kingdom of God.
The global Kingdom of God will be established at the Second Advent. The Second Advent involves the Return of Christ with the whole Church. Since the death of the first Church Age believer to the present time, the LOCATION of the Church has involved both Heaven and Earth. Departed Church Age believing souls who have physically died are not in any cemetery, urn, or watery grave. Only the bodily remains. The souls of departed believers are alive and well in interim bodies being with the Lord Jesus Christ in the 3rd Heaven (1 Cor. 12: 2).
There is a coming day when the entire Church (in Heaven and on Earth) will be re-united (1 Thess. 4: 15-17). It is at that time that Church Age believers who had been in interim bodies in Heaven will receive their resurrected bodies of glory, and the believers on the Earth will have their natural bodies of Earth transformed into their bodies of glory, having never experienced physical death. It is at that time that the Church, as a whole, will be reunited and meet the Lord in the air above the Earth.
During the sovereign reign of the earthly kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ during the millennial period the devil will be incarcerated and the Earth will experience universal peace and blessing. Following 1,000 year period of peace, God will release the devil allow Satan to organize one more final attempt to destroy Jerusalem, being the headquarters of the Lord's kingdom here on Earth (Rev. 20:). This attempt will fail, after which the new heaven and the new earth will be forever established, minus evil and all that evil had the power to generate.
This will result in the final and permanent incarceration (Rev. 20: 10) in the lake of fire of the devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil. They will be accompanied by all the souls of unbelievers throughout the course of human history (Rev. 20: 13, 15).
We have now addressed the sovereignty of the state and how it relates and is subject to the sovereignty of God. Now, we will examine how the sovereignty of God impacts our daily and personal lives here on Earth.
As in the case of state sovereignty, we as individuals are subject to the principle of divine sovereignty, as well. Accordingly, God has the divine right to do with any one of us as HE pleases. When we come to the understanding that God created us for His glory and purposes, and not for the primary purpose of pursuing our own desires, it is then that we comprehend the attribute of divine sovereignty.
The sovereignty of God is more involved in the lives of each and every human soul than what many would consider or ever acknowledge.
God (not our biological parents - John 3: 6) determined at what point in the time line of human history that we, as an individual soul would enter and leave the earthly environment on planet Earth. God revealed our entry point and time the spit second that HE created and placed our soul in the specific body that became our humanity (physical body) when it was brought forth at BIRTH. While such things as medical conditions and overt circumstances may allow some of us to become aware that the moment of our departure is likely approaching, no one but God knows for sure exactly when our appointed time of departure will be. The date, time, and circumstances of our earthy arrival and departure was known by the omniscience of God BEFORE we even took our first breath.
As good stewards, we should have respect and provide care for the body that God placed us in, but keep in mind that healthy and young people die and/or are called home to Heaven EVERY day. I make the distinction, because NOT every soul that dies is called home to Heaven, as there are souls that depart every day and find themselves in the Torments of Hades with nothing to look forward to but the lake of fire (Rev.20: 13, 15). Although it is God who judges, His judgments are based on the free-will decisions that WE make for ourselves during our appointed time span here on Earth.
All that has ever happened, is happening now, or ever will happen is under the umbrella of the sovereignty of God, being manifested in all that God sends, allows, or over-rules, in order to ultimately accomplish His plan for the human race. This is true of the big picture and of each soul, as well.
Rather we are aware of it or not, we are all playing a part in the ongoing conflict that initiated BEFORE the creation of Man by the decisions, actions, or inactions that we entertain every day. Each and every day we are living examples to human and angelic (Luke 15: 7, 10) observers of what God desires or does NOT desire for each human soul to become during our appointed time here on Earth.
Scripture is clear that it is God's desire that every soul (1Tim. 2: 3,4) be born again (John 3: 5, 7) and that all born again believers be conformed to the image (image =likeness in mind and actions) of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8: 29). Scripture is equally clear, ver-the-less, that NOT all souls are going to Heaven (Rev. 20: 13, 15), and even a passive observation of the Christian Community reveals that many who claim to be Christians make no effort at all to be conformed to our Lord's image.
Your daily life does matter. Each and every day it either brings glory to God or the devil in the midst of the ongoing struggle that theologians refer to as the Angelic Conflict. It was for this purpose that God created Man (and each one of us) in the first place.
Our (daily) and ongoing choice to live for God, self, others, or even the devil himself brings glory to One/one and grief (Eph. 4: 30) to the other (s).
Only via the development of the "mind (thinking) of Christ - 1Cor. 2: 16 NASB italics mine)" with the enabling power (John 15: 5) of God can we begin to secure the spiritual discernment it takes to see the hand of God in ALL that takes place, here in the devil's world. There will be some events that, this side of Heaven, will NEVER be understood. Such things are allowed by God, as it is then that we have no other choice but to exercise our faith and leave all the unknowns and unanswered questions in the hands of God. THAT, my friend, can require very strong faith.
Truly, of the three ways in which He reveals His will, it is what HE allows is often the hardest to comprehend in light of all the evil and suffering that He allows to take place, here in the devil's world. It can be one of the greatest challenges to our faith and one of the greatest obstacles in the way of advancing in the post (after) salvation (being born again) spiritual life. Needless to say, the devil will not miss the opportunity to whisper suggestive thoughts that produce doubt, fear, and anxiety in the ears of the souls of God children.
The arrogance and independent characteristics of our fallen nature tells us (and others) how that all we have accomplished or will accomplish is of our own doing, without giving any thought as to what we would have NOT have been able to do if at any time God had chosen, for instance, to deny us our next breath of life (Gen. 2: 7)! Funny how we tend to take much credit, but pass all the blame of our failures onto God, other persons, or things.
All that we have here on Earth can (and someday will) be taken away in a heartbeat (Luke 12: 20) or in the twinkling of an eye (1Cor. 15: 22). Only what (if) we have sent on ahead and deposited in our account in Heaven (Matt. 6: 19-21) can have an impact on HOW any one of us will experience Heaven. Everything else is left behind. There is no guarantee that there will be anything left to pass on to others, or that what is passed on will be used wisely or foolishly (Eccl. 2: 18, 19).
Either God is in control over everything everywhere or He misrepresents Himself when through His Word He declares Himself to be the omniscient (all knowing) omnipresent (the ability to be anywhere and everywhere at the same time) and omnipotent (all powerful) Creator and ruler of the universe.
God is NOT the only source of overt " prosperity". To the extent that God allows, the devil (Luke 4: 6) is willing and able to bless those who knowingly or unwittingly do his bidding. Likewise, God is not the only source of adversity (Job 1: 10/Hebrews 12: 6). To the extent that God allows (See Book of Job), the devil will hit us on every side to try drive a wedge between us and God with the ultimate goal of diminishing our productivity in the true post salvation spiritual life. In more cases than not, an honest self-examination ( 2Cor. 13: 5) would reveal that most of the adversity we encounter is the result of decisions WE made along the way.
The concept of luck being a factor in determining one's destiny is a false concept that can be traced back to the ancient world. The concept of luck is based on the ungodly theory that much of what happens is randomly determined by one being lucky or unlucky. When one prospers, it is said that the one involved was lucky, whereas when one suffers loss, one is said to have been unlucky. The spiritual issue with the concept of luck is that it runs contrary to divine attribute of sovereignty, challenging the significance, involvement, as well as the very existence of God in our daily activities. No wonder the devil promotes the concept of luck!
The desire to secure "good luck" and/or to ward off "bad luck" has opened the door to a long, long, list of ungodly activities that one should do or not do to try to secure good luck and/or ward off bad luck. Many "Christians" will "knock on wood", light candles, and/or wear religious icons in the form of jewelry, being totally ignorant of the fact that such practices have their roots in pagan religions and superstitions with the intent of warding off demons, and/or seeking the aid of spiritual beings outside of the Trinity.
I'm sure that the common and well-intended practice of wishing others good luck brings a smile to the devil's face! As it has been said, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
According to divine viewpoint (1Cor. 2: 16), there is NO such thing as luck, either good or bad, but there ARE blessings and curses that are the direct result of choices we make every day. The difference is that the false concept of luck is based on such things as random chance and seemingly unrelated incidents that we refer to as coincidence(s). The Doctrine of Sovereignty teaches that all that happens (or fails to happen) is in the hands of God. There is no such things as random luck or coincidences when God is in charge of all that takes place.
Lottery tickets, raffles, etc. and games of '"chance" are so engineered that its sponsor "pays out" enough "winners" to encourage the losers to participate so that the SPONSOR ultimately profits. Scripture (Prov. 10: 2) teach that in ill gotten gain, there is no (spiritual) profit (Prov. 10: 2), but that is another subject for another day.
In His sovereignty, God can bless, send, or allow adversity to come upon the life of anyone He chooses in order to accomplish a divine objective (Romans. 9: 14-21). One never knows how far the ripple effect, be it of the positive or negative variety) will carry the impact of one's mouth, actions, or inactions that are the result of the choices we make every day. We are often totally blind to what the divine objective was, is, or will be in the midst of the adversity that we encounter. In such cases, we are called to place the unkn0wns in the hands of God who sent or allowed the adversity in the first place and to seek HIS will in the aftermath.
More than once I have prayed, " O Lord, I have no clue as to why you sent or allowed (such and such a thing) to happen, and I need Your help to address it in the way that brings glory to You." In the big picture of things, ALL that He does or allows is to conform us to the likeness (character) of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8: 29), but the hurt and emotions that accompanies some forms of trouble can blind us to what it is that God wants to accomplish in our own lives and in the lives of those involved. No one said that the life of discipleship was going to be easy. In fact, God made is clear that it wouldn't be (2 Tim. 3: 12).
When the sovereignty of God calls for (or allows) blessing and prosperity we are all right there will both hands open and ready to receive it, but it is when the same God call us to serve Him in the midst of such things as tragedy, injury, loss, persecution, or injustice, the true quality of our "metal" is rwevealed. Note that God does not test us for Him to see where we are in our walk with Him. God already knows that. The purpose of the test is for us to see where we are in our walk with the Lord. From time to time, this can be a painfully humiliating experience when we are forced to concede that we failed to walk the walk as well as we talk the talk.
To the extent that God allows, and the devil can prosper and curse (send adversity) into the lives he chooses. Both God and the devil have a plan for the human race and each member of it, not to mention our own alternate plans that we generate independently of the will and plan of God. It is in this environment that the good, evil, and/or independent wills clash and compete that sets the stage for the Eph. 6 spiritual combat of the Church Age. To the victor goes the spoils, and in the realm of spiritual warfare, the spoils is control over the soul.
Even though the prosperity of the wicked in an old issue (Psalms 73) that has been asked and answered, it remains to be one that the devil uses all the time to discourage believers. Before we call for the judgment of God on others (Luke 9: 54-56, consider where any one of us would be if we had not benefited by the mercy of God.
One might ask why is it that God just don't wipe out all evil and the evil creatures that produce it. We can be glad that this is NOT what takes place, as such a policy would call for the death of each one of us (Romans 3: 23).
The divine purity of God cannot as much as look upon ANY (James 2: 10) form of sin or evil in an approving manner (Habakkuk 1: 13 ), let alone be in fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with one who knowingly or unwittingly entertains it. ALL sin results in one or more of three types of death referenced in (Rom. 6: 23). There is spiritual death that results in spending all of eternity in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15) for the unpardonable SIN of disbelief; there is temporal death when out of fellowship with God during the course of one's post salvation spiritual life resulting in the loss of some or all of the eternal rewards one would have otherwise received (1 Cor. 3: 15) in Heaven; and then there is physical death (Acts 5).
SIN is a violation of the law(s) of God manifested in what we think, do, or say, whereas EVIL is ANYTHING that comes from a "school of thought" that teaches or otherwise promotes thoughts or actions that run contrary to a principle(s) of Scripture. EVIL includes ALL the teachings and practices of Man-made "religion" that are contrary to Scripture and that can be found INSIDE as well as OUTSIDE of the Christian Community at large. Scripture (1Tim. 4: 1 NASB) refers to such teachings and practices as being diabolical, no matter from whose mouth they are uttered or authorized.
Interesting to note that when our Lord taught His disciples HOW to pray (Matt. 6: 13), He included the request to be delivered from EVIL, and not sin. The most damaging forms of evil are the ones that find their way into the doctrines of the "Christian" Community. The "Christian" Community will be replete with false teachings, doctrines, and practices during the End Time (1Tim. 4: 1). Most of these doctrines contain enough truth to make them believable, but a close examination will expose them for the products of deception that they truly are.
Discipleship is a post (after) salvation activity. One must understand that the issue of his/her salvation has already been and is forever resolved BEFORE he/she can take the first step along the road of POST salvation discipleship. If not, much time and energy will be spent (wasted) trying to obtain or retain what one has already secured and cannot lose. It has been my experience to note that it is the born again believer who comes from a "religious" background that has the most difficulty breaking loose from the religious bondage and experiencing the John 8:32 freedom that comes from knowing the TRUTH.
It does not take the mind of a great theologian to identify sin (Romans 1: 19), but developing the spiritual discernment and spiritual maturity required to detect and address EVIL is another matter. This is especially true when the EVIL comes from the pulpit(s) during times of great apostasy, as is the prophesied (1Tim. 4: 1) environment WITHIN the Christian Community as the End Time approaches.
For a Church Age disciple, the issue of SIN (1 John 3: 14), so far as SIN pertains to salvation, has already be addressed, but this does not mean that post (after) salvation SIN does not have to be addressed for OTHER reasons. It has been my experience to note that born again believer who come into the spiritual life from a religious background have the greatest difficulty comprehending the Doctrine of Eternal Security. Sad to say, but some will never come to the experience the freedom from such "religious"bondage, referenced in John 8: 32.
Among the reasons for addressing post salvation sin is to avoid divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) and to restore fellowship (2 Cor. 13: 14) in order to execute the TRUE post salvation spiritual life with maximum effect.
The identification and filtering out EVIL from one's soul structure is a daily process. Every day our soul structures are bombarded with EVIL that must be addressed if one is to maintain an edified soul structure as a base of operations for the execution of the TRUE post salvation spiritual life. As one spiritually matures by continuing in the Word, what was once perceived to be "no big deal" will become a VERY big deal when one comes to realize that the glory of God hangs in the balance. We may (or may not) "get away" with things when it comes to human observation, but NOTHING gets by the omnipresent and omniscience of God, and many things do not go unnoticed by angelic and /or diabolical beings that are all around and observing us each and every day.
All that happens after we are placed HERE on Earth and before we depart was known by God BEFORE our soul was created. This does not mean that we are not accountable, as we have used and will continue to use the free will that God gave to us. God knew in advance the decisions we would make along the way, and factored all of this into His plan for our lives. The success of His plan is NOT dependent on our cooperation.
God knew what opportunities, adversity, and limitations that we would encounter. He knew what blessings and what adversity He would send, arrange, and/or allow. He knew what our response would be to each one of them. He knew what events He would prevent from otherwise happening in order to secure the divine objectives that He decreed to take place WITHOUT violating our freewill. He knew all of this BEFORE we took our first breath.
The timing and circumstances that are connected with THE body that God chose to place us in reveals much about the plan that God had in mind when HE created us. The specific body with such things as its gender, race, physical strengths, physical limitations, also reveals much about the plan that God had in mind when He created us.
The human concept of reincarnation is flawed as it is in conflict with several principles of Scripture. It is appointed for a man to die ONCE (Heb. 9: 27), and then the judgment that follows.
Every soul MUST respond to the call of God during one's appointed time here on Earth. Here in the Church Age, the "call" begins with the knowledge of eternity God places in the souls of Man (Eccl. 3: 11,). God the Holy Spirit reveals the completed plan for salvation via a clear presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message. The reality and certainty of dying ONCE are among the things that motivates any thinking person to respond to the God-given knowledge of eternity and to believe in the Gospel Message to secure his/her salvation. Once born again, believers will be motivated to share his/her faith for the salvation and edification of others.
There is no greater gift that has ever been given to Man by God than the gift of salvation that it the result of believing in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater gift that we can give to unbelievers than the Gospel Message for salvation. There is no greater gift that we can give to fellow believers than accurate Bible Doctrine for the identification and execution of the TRUE post (after) salvation spiritual life. The interest and the value of these gifts that potential recipients place on them reveals much about where (or if) they are in their relationship and/or walk with the Lord.
Since Man can NEVER do anything apart from God to save himself, reincarnation serves no divine purpose. ANYTHING that suggests that one can still be saved once he/she has departed this world as an unbeliever is giving a form of hope that cannot be substantiated in Scripture.
IF it were possible for a human soul to eventually (after more than one attempt) to finally "get it right" and "earn" (Eph. 2: 8, 9) his salvation, or to pay for it off by time spent in an alternative location (as some religions teach), then there would have been NO need or purpose for the incarnation and sacrificial atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. In order for this to happen, God would have to raise such human/religious efforts, referred to as a "filthy garment" in Isa. 64: 6 NASB to equal status with faith (believing in) the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus provided on the cross.
In order to achieve a divine objective, there were several persons who were brought back to life, but were brought back to the same body and in the same period of history and eventually faced the final departure as will everyone else. Believers in reincarnation contend that one can take on bodily form in future generations. Some actually believe you can come back in a different animal form, and for that reason refrain from eating meat.
As far as people knowing detailed information that only those present could have known in events of past history, consider the fact the DEVIL and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil have been around BEFORE the creation of Man and have personally witnessed much of human history. This would provide a plausible explanation for the source of such detailed knowledge of the past could have come from. The devil has been whispering in the ears of human soul structures since the Garden of Eden, greatly deceiving those who are willing to listen. When the devil provides information it is for the intended purpose of advancing his own agenda.
The fact that the devil would promote ANYTHING contrary to the Word of God is no secret.
God has an "ideal" plan for each one of us that would be accomplished if we made all the right decisions all the time. There is also the "real" plan that actually is experienced that factors in the eternal and temporal blessings and/or consequences of the daily and life-changing choices we make.
NONE of us will ever totally fulfill all that we could have accomplished in the "ideal" plan that God has for us (Romans 3: 23 ), but ALL of us will complete the "real" plan. In doing so, we will all play our part in the big picture.
To the extent that we complete the "ideal" plan, believers will either be rewarded or forfeit heavenly reward, but one's salvation remains secure (1Cor. 3: 12-15) Many "Christians" NEVER identify the spiritual gift and accompanying ministry that He had in mind for hi m/her. If one never learns what his/her gift and accompanying ministry (spiritual service for the benefit of others) is, there will be a dramatic difference between what one could have accomplished and what one did.
On the other hand, many fulfill divine objectives every day without being aware of it.
God, for instance, can use the human good that believers and unbelievers alike produce to provide necessary logistical support (food, clothing, shelter, services, etc.), that believers in our personal periphery need to receive.
God factored all of our failures (that He knew of beforehand) as well and what we would accomplish during the course of our time here on Earth in order to ultimately fulfill our part in the Master Plan that God has decreed for the human race. The decision of Pilate to knowingly hand over the innocent (Luke 23: 14, 15) humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified, played its role in the fulfillment of the plan of God, just as much as Mary's role in providing our Lord's humanity. The same can be said o the decision of Joseph not to divorce Mary, and to do all that he did in order to provide for the protection of our Lord's humanity before the time came for the cross. The decision of Judas to betray the Lord was a part of the Plan of God being manifested by the permissive will of God.
In engineering His Master Plan, God did not violate the free will of the persons involved, but all of them played essential parts in the Master Plan of God. Only a sovereign, omniscient. omnipresent, and omnipotent God could have accomplished such a plan.
The sovereignty of God rules supreme in the daily life of each and every one of us, rather we are with the program or not. If saved, the issue of WHERE you WILL be going upon departing this Earth has been settled for all of eternity future. but HOW (with or without reward(s) and accompanying privilege(s) remains to be seen (1 Co. 3: 12-15).
Saved from what? Saved from the ETERNAL and NEVER-ENDING wrath of God that awaits the soul of EVERY unbeliever throughout the course of human history. Rewarded for what? Rewarded for the DIVINE good that God produced through you as you execute4d the TRUE post (after) salvation spiritual life. It is important to note the difference between human good that ALL humans can produce, and the divine good that God produces through born again believers, but that is another subject for another day.
There IS (biological) life in the FETUS as of the moment of conception, but the soul does NOT enter the body until God places it there simultaneously with the first breath of natural life, as was the case with Adam, AFTER God created the body of Adam to receive it (Gen. 2: 7). The only difference between the bodies of Adam and Eve and ours is that God created Adam's from the dust of the Earth; Eve's from the rib of Adam, whereas our bodies were not created, but were reproduced via the system and apparatus that God created for that purpose. Every human soul (Adam's, Eve's, and ours) was/is created by God and is placed in the body at birth at the same time that one receives his/he first breath of natural life, being then independent of the mother's life support system. To the extent that God allows, Man can preserve and resuscitate the natural life of the body, but can do nothing to retain the soul when God determines it is time for it to depart.
This is not to condone abortion, as unless the system that God engineered spontaneously aborts (miscarries) the fetus, or the fetus is lost from trauma or death suffered by the mother, what is intentionally destroyed was the future humanity of a soul that God would have otherwise filled with a human soul when the body comes forth at birth. John 3: 3 cleary distinguished what it is (the soul) that God creates, and what it is (the body)) that Man reproduces. Note that Scripture related to the First Advent teach that Mary conceived what would BECOME our Lord's humanity at the night of the First Advent. The "leaping" of the fetus in the womb of Elizabeth (Luke 1: 41) was the biological reaction in response to Elizabeth's encounter with Mary, and being filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 41). The heartbeat, and movement or kicking of a fetus in the womb is evidence of the biological life of the fetus that is an extension of the mother's biological life. With the system that God created, the mother provides life biological support of the fetus until the human fetus becomes a human being at BIRTH.
These facts do not lessen the emotional pain when what would have become the humanity of a son or daughter is lost or terminated. I know. My wife and I suffered the painful loss of a stillborn son after what had been a normal, full (9 month) "complication free" pregnancy. Within a relatively short period of time, I had endured the loss of grandparents, and both parents as well as the stillborn son, all before I reached the age of 26.
In addition to my personal experiences and challenges in life, in the course of my police career I witnessed enough pain and suffering that God allowed to make a statue cry. I am well familiar with what adversity many are called to endure as a result of all that the sovereignty of God allows. Through it all I have learned that what does not destroy us will only make us stronger. This is true in the biological/natural realm and in the spiritual realm if we learn to develop and apply the mind of Christ.
This will result in the final and permanent incarceration (Rev. 20: 10) in the lake of fire of the devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil. They will be accompanied by all the souls of unbelievers throughout the course of human history (Rev. 20: 13, 15).
We have now addressed the sovereignty of the state and how it relates and is subject to the sovereignty of God. Now, we will examine how the sovereignty of God impacts our daily and personal lives here on Earth.
As in the case of state sovereignty, we as individuals are subject to the principle of divine sovereignty, as well. Accordingly, God has the divine right to do with any one of us as HE pleases. When we come to the understanding that God created us for His glory and purposes, and not for the primary purpose of pursuing our own desires, it is then that we comprehend the attribute of divine sovereignty.
The sovereignty of God is more involved in the lives of each and every human soul than what many would consider or ever acknowledge.
God (not our biological parents - John 3: 6) determined at what point in the time line of human history that we, as an individual soul would enter and leave the earthly environment on planet Earth. God revealed our entry point and time the spit second that HE created and placed our soul in the specific body that became our humanity (physical body) when it was brought forth at BIRTH. While such things as medical conditions and overt circumstances may allow some of us to become aware that the moment of our departure is likely approaching, no one but God knows for sure exactly when our appointed time of departure will be. The date, time, and circumstances of our earthy arrival and departure was known by the omniscience of God BEFORE we even took our first breath.
As good stewards, we should have respect and provide care for the body that God placed us in, but keep in mind that healthy and young people die and/or are called home to Heaven EVERY day. I make the distinction, because NOT every soul that dies is called home to Heaven, as there are souls that depart every day and find themselves in the Torments of Hades with nothing to look forward to but the lake of fire (Rev.20: 13, 15). Although it is God who judges, His judgments are based on the free-will decisions that WE make for ourselves during our appointed time span here on Earth.
All that has ever happened, is happening now, or ever will happen is under the umbrella of the sovereignty of God, being manifested in all that God sends, allows, or over-rules, in order to ultimately accomplish His plan for the human race. This is true of the big picture and of each soul, as well.
Rather we are aware of it or not, we are all playing a part in the ongoing conflict that initiated BEFORE the creation of Man by the decisions, actions, or inactions that we entertain every day. Each and every day we are living examples to human and angelic (Luke 15: 7, 10) observers of what God desires or does NOT desire for each human soul to become during our appointed time here on Earth.
Scripture is clear that it is God's desire that every soul (1Tim. 2: 3,4) be born again (John 3: 5, 7) and that all born again believers be conformed to the image (image =likeness in mind and actions) of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8: 29). Scripture is equally clear, ver-the-less, that NOT all souls are going to Heaven (Rev. 20: 13, 15), and even a passive observation of the Christian Community reveals that many who claim to be Christians make no effort at all to be conformed to our Lord's image.
Your daily life does matter. Each and every day it either brings glory to God or the devil in the midst of the ongoing struggle that theologians refer to as the Angelic Conflict. It was for this purpose that God created Man (and each one of us) in the first place.
Our (daily) and ongoing choice to live for God, self, others, or even the devil himself brings glory to One/one and grief (Eph. 4: 30) to the other (s).
Only via the development of the "mind (thinking) of Christ - 1Cor. 2: 16 NASB italics mine)" with the enabling power (John 15: 5) of God can we begin to secure the spiritual discernment it takes to see the hand of God in ALL that takes place, here in the devil's world. There will be some events that, this side of Heaven, will NEVER be understood. Such things are allowed by God, as it is then that we have no other choice but to exercise our faith and leave all the unknowns and unanswered questions in the hands of God. THAT, my friend, can require very strong faith.
Truly, of the three ways in which He reveals His will, it is what HE allows is often the hardest to comprehend in light of all the evil and suffering that He allows to take place, here in the devil's world. It can be one of the greatest challenges to our faith and one of the greatest obstacles in the way of advancing in the post (after) salvation (being born again) spiritual life. Needless to say, the devil will not miss the opportunity to whisper suggestive thoughts that produce doubt, fear, and anxiety in the ears of the souls of God children.
The arrogance and independent characteristics of our fallen nature tells us (and others) how that all we have accomplished or will accomplish is of our own doing, without giving any thought as to what we would have NOT have been able to do if at any time God had chosen, for instance, to deny us our next breath of life (Gen. 2: 7)! Funny how we tend to take much credit, but pass all the blame of our failures onto God, other persons, or things.
All that we have here on Earth can (and someday will) be taken away in a heartbeat (Luke 12: 20) or in the twinkling of an eye (1Cor. 15: 22). Only what (if) we have sent on ahead and deposited in our account in Heaven (Matt. 6: 19-21) can have an impact on HOW any one of us will experience Heaven. Everything else is left behind. There is no guarantee that there will be anything left to pass on to others, or that what is passed on will be used wisely or foolishly (Eccl. 2: 18, 19).
Either God is in control over everything everywhere or He misrepresents Himself when through His Word He declares Himself to be the omniscient (all knowing) omnipresent (the ability to be anywhere and everywhere at the same time) and omnipotent (all powerful) Creator and ruler of the universe.
God is NOT the only source of overt " prosperity". To the extent that God allows, the devil (Luke 4: 6) is willing and able to bless those who knowingly or unwittingly do his bidding. Likewise, God is not the only source of adversity (Job 1: 10/Hebrews 12: 6). To the extent that God allows (See Book of Job), the devil will hit us on every side to try drive a wedge between us and God with the ultimate goal of diminishing our productivity in the true post salvation spiritual life. In more cases than not, an honest self-examination ( 2Cor. 13: 5) would reveal that most of the adversity we encounter is the result of decisions WE made along the way.
The concept of luck being a factor in determining one's destiny is a false concept that can be traced back to the ancient world. The concept of luck is based on the ungodly theory that much of what happens is randomly determined by one being lucky or unlucky. When one prospers, it is said that the one involved was lucky, whereas when one suffers loss, one is said to have been unlucky. The spiritual issue with the concept of luck is that it runs contrary to divine attribute of sovereignty, challenging the significance, involvement, as well as the very existence of God in our daily activities. No wonder the devil promotes the concept of luck!
The desire to secure "good luck" and/or to ward off "bad luck" has opened the door to a long, long, list of ungodly activities that one should do or not do to try to secure good luck and/or ward off bad luck. Many "Christians" will "knock on wood", light candles, and/or wear religious icons in the form of jewelry, being totally ignorant of the fact that such practices have their roots in pagan religions and superstitions with the intent of warding off demons, and/or seeking the aid of spiritual beings outside of the Trinity.
I'm sure that the common and well-intended practice of wishing others good luck brings a smile to the devil's face! As it has been said, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
According to divine viewpoint (1Cor. 2: 16), there is NO such thing as luck, either good or bad, but there ARE blessings and curses that are the direct result of choices we make every day. The difference is that the false concept of luck is based on such things as random chance and seemingly unrelated incidents that we refer to as coincidence(s). The Doctrine of Sovereignty teaches that all that happens (or fails to happen) is in the hands of God. There is no such things as random luck or coincidences when God is in charge of all that takes place.
Lottery tickets, raffles, etc. and games of '"chance" are so engineered that its sponsor "pays out" enough "winners" to encourage the losers to participate so that the SPONSOR ultimately profits. Scripture (Prov. 10: 2) teach that in ill gotten gain, there is no (spiritual) profit (Prov. 10: 2), but that is another subject for another day.
In His sovereignty, God can bless, send, or allow adversity to come upon the life of anyone He chooses in order to accomplish a divine objective (Romans. 9: 14-21). One never knows how far the ripple effect, be it of the positive or negative variety) will carry the impact of one's mouth, actions, or inactions that are the result of the choices we make every day. We are often totally blind to what the divine objective was, is, or will be in the midst of the adversity that we encounter. In such cases, we are called to place the unkn0wns in the hands of God who sent or allowed the adversity in the first place and to seek HIS will in the aftermath.
More than once I have prayed, " O Lord, I have no clue as to why you sent or allowed (such and such a thing) to happen, and I need Your help to address it in the way that brings glory to You." In the big picture of things, ALL that He does or allows is to conform us to the likeness (character) of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8: 29), but the hurt and emotions that accompanies some forms of trouble can blind us to what it is that God wants to accomplish in our own lives and in the lives of those involved. No one said that the life of discipleship was going to be easy. In fact, God made is clear that it wouldn't be (2 Tim. 3: 12).
When the sovereignty of God calls for (or allows) blessing and prosperity we are all right there will both hands open and ready to receive it, but it is when the same God call us to serve Him in the midst of such things as tragedy, injury, loss, persecution, or injustice, the true quality of our "metal" is rwevealed. Note that God does not test us for Him to see where we are in our walk with Him. God already knows that. The purpose of the test is for us to see where we are in our walk with the Lord. From time to time, this can be a painfully humiliating experience when we are forced to concede that we failed to walk the walk as well as we talk the talk.
To the extent that God allows, and the devil can prosper and curse (send adversity) into the lives he chooses. Both God and the devil have a plan for the human race and each member of it, not to mention our own alternate plans that we generate independently of the will and plan of God. It is in this environment that the good, evil, and/or independent wills clash and compete that sets the stage for the Eph. 6 spiritual combat of the Church Age. To the victor goes the spoils, and in the realm of spiritual warfare, the spoils is control over the soul.
Even though the prosperity of the wicked in an old issue (Psalms 73) that has been asked and answered, it remains to be one that the devil uses all the time to discourage believers. Before we call for the judgment of God on others (Luke 9: 54-56, consider where any one of us would be if we had not benefited by the mercy of God.
One might ask why is it that God just don't wipe out all evil and the evil creatures that produce it. We can be glad that this is NOT what takes place, as such a policy would call for the death of each one of us (Romans 3: 23).
The divine purity of God cannot as much as look upon ANY (James 2: 10) form of sin or evil in an approving manner (Habakkuk 1: 13 ), let alone be in fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with one who knowingly or unwittingly entertains it. ALL sin results in one or more of three types of death referenced in (Rom. 6: 23). There is spiritual death that results in spending all of eternity in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15) for the unpardonable SIN of disbelief; there is temporal death when out of fellowship with God during the course of one's post salvation spiritual life resulting in the loss of some or all of the eternal rewards one would have otherwise received (1 Cor. 3: 15) in Heaven; and then there is physical death (Acts 5).
SIN is a violation of the law(s) of God manifested in what we think, do, or say, whereas EVIL is ANYTHING that comes from a "school of thought" that teaches or otherwise promotes thoughts or actions that run contrary to a principle(s) of Scripture. EVIL includes ALL the teachings and practices of Man-made "religion" that are contrary to Scripture and that can be found INSIDE as well as OUTSIDE of the Christian Community at large. Scripture (1Tim. 4: 1 NASB) refers to such teachings and practices as being diabolical, no matter from whose mouth they are uttered or authorized.
Interesting to note that when our Lord taught His disciples HOW to pray (Matt. 6: 13), He included the request to be delivered from EVIL, and not sin. The most damaging forms of evil are the ones that find their way into the doctrines of the "Christian" Community. The "Christian" Community will be replete with false teachings, doctrines, and practices during the End Time (1Tim. 4: 1). Most of these doctrines contain enough truth to make them believable, but a close examination will expose them for the products of deception that they truly are.
Discipleship is a post (after) salvation activity. One must understand that the issue of his/her salvation has already been and is forever resolved BEFORE he/she can take the first step along the road of POST salvation discipleship. If not, much time and energy will be spent (wasted) trying to obtain or retain what one has already secured and cannot lose. It has been my experience to note that it is the born again believer who comes from a "religious" background that has the most difficulty breaking loose from the religious bondage and experiencing the John 8:32 freedom that comes from knowing the TRUTH.
It does not take the mind of a great theologian to identify sin (Romans 1: 19), but developing the spiritual discernment and spiritual maturity required to detect and address EVIL is another matter. This is especially true when the EVIL comes from the pulpit(s) during times of great apostasy, as is the prophesied (1Tim. 4: 1) environment WITHIN the Christian Community as the End Time approaches.
For a Church Age disciple, the issue of SIN (1 John 3: 14), so far as SIN pertains to salvation, has already be addressed, but this does not mean that post (after) salvation SIN does not have to be addressed for OTHER reasons. It has been my experience to note that born again believer who come into the spiritual life from a religious background have the greatest difficulty comprehending the Doctrine of Eternal Security. Sad to say, but some will never come to the experience the freedom from such "religious"bondage, referenced in John 8: 32.
Among the reasons for addressing post salvation sin is to avoid divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) and to restore fellowship (2 Cor. 13: 14) in order to execute the TRUE post salvation spiritual life with maximum effect.
The identification and filtering out EVIL from one's soul structure is a daily process. Every day our soul structures are bombarded with EVIL that must be addressed if one is to maintain an edified soul structure as a base of operations for the execution of the TRUE post salvation spiritual life. As one spiritually matures by continuing in the Word, what was once perceived to be "no big deal" will become a VERY big deal when one comes to realize that the glory of God hangs in the balance. We may (or may not) "get away" with things when it comes to human observation, but NOTHING gets by the omnipresent and omniscience of God, and many things do not go unnoticed by angelic and /or diabolical beings that are all around and observing us each and every day.
All that happens after we are placed HERE on Earth and before we depart was known by God BEFORE our soul was created. This does not mean that we are not accountable, as we have used and will continue to use the free will that God gave to us. God knew in advance the decisions we would make along the way, and factored all of this into His plan for our lives. The success of His plan is NOT dependent on our cooperation.
God knew what opportunities, adversity, and limitations that we would encounter. He knew what blessings and what adversity He would send, arrange, and/or allow. He knew what our response would be to each one of them. He knew what events He would prevent from otherwise happening in order to secure the divine objectives that He decreed to take place WITHOUT violating our freewill. He knew all of this BEFORE we took our first breath.
The timing and circumstances that are connected with THE body that God chose to place us in reveals much about the plan that God had in mind when HE created us. The specific body with such things as its gender, race, physical strengths, physical limitations, also reveals much about the plan that God had in mind when He created us.
The human concept of reincarnation is flawed as it is in conflict with several principles of Scripture. It is appointed for a man to die ONCE (Heb. 9: 27), and then the judgment that follows.
Every soul MUST respond to the call of God during one's appointed time here on Earth. Here in the Church Age, the "call" begins with the knowledge of eternity God places in the souls of Man (Eccl. 3: 11,). God the Holy Spirit reveals the completed plan for salvation via a clear presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message. The reality and certainty of dying ONCE are among the things that motivates any thinking person to respond to the God-given knowledge of eternity and to believe in the Gospel Message to secure his/her salvation. Once born again, believers will be motivated to share his/her faith for the salvation and edification of others.
There is no greater gift that has ever been given to Man by God than the gift of salvation that it the result of believing in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater gift that we can give to unbelievers than the Gospel Message for salvation. There is no greater gift that we can give to fellow believers than accurate Bible Doctrine for the identification and execution of the TRUE post (after) salvation spiritual life. The interest and the value of these gifts that potential recipients place on them reveals much about where (or if) they are in their relationship and/or walk with the Lord.
Since Man can NEVER do anything apart from God to save himself, reincarnation serves no divine purpose. ANYTHING that suggests that one can still be saved once he/she has departed this world as an unbeliever is giving a form of hope that cannot be substantiated in Scripture.
IF it were possible for a human soul to eventually (after more than one attempt) to finally "get it right" and "earn" (Eph. 2: 8, 9) his salvation, or to pay for it off by time spent in an alternative location (as some religions teach), then there would have been NO need or purpose for the incarnation and sacrificial atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. In order for this to happen, God would have to raise such human/religious efforts, referred to as a "filthy garment" in Isa. 64: 6 NASB to equal status with faith (believing in) the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus provided on the cross.
In order to achieve a divine objective, there were several persons who were brought back to life, but were brought back to the same body and in the same period of history and eventually faced the final departure as will everyone else. Believers in reincarnation contend that one can take on bodily form in future generations. Some actually believe you can come back in a different animal form, and for that reason refrain from eating meat.
As far as people knowing detailed information that only those present could have known in events of past history, consider the fact the DEVIL and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil have been around BEFORE the creation of Man and have personally witnessed much of human history. This would provide a plausible explanation for the source of such detailed knowledge of the past could have come from. The devil has been whispering in the ears of human soul structures since the Garden of Eden, greatly deceiving those who are willing to listen. When the devil provides information it is for the intended purpose of advancing his own agenda.
The fact that the devil would promote ANYTHING contrary to the Word of God is no secret.
God has an "ideal" plan for each one of us that would be accomplished if we made all the right decisions all the time. There is also the "real" plan that actually is experienced that factors in the eternal and temporal blessings and/or consequences of the daily and life-changing choices we make.
NONE of us will ever totally fulfill all that we could have accomplished in the "ideal" plan that God has for us (Romans 3: 23 ), but ALL of us will complete the "real" plan. In doing so, we will all play our part in the big picture.
To the extent that we complete the "ideal" plan, believers will either be rewarded or forfeit heavenly reward, but one's salvation remains secure (1Cor. 3: 12-15) Many "Christians" NEVER identify the spiritual gift and accompanying ministry that He had in mind for hi m/her. If one never learns what his/her gift and accompanying ministry (spiritual service for the benefit of others) is, there will be a dramatic difference between what one could have accomplished and what one did.
On the other hand, many fulfill divine objectives every day without being aware of it.
God, for instance, can use the human good that believers and unbelievers alike produce to provide necessary logistical support (food, clothing, shelter, services, etc.), that believers in our personal periphery need to receive.
God factored all of our failures (that He knew of beforehand) as well and what we would accomplish during the course of our time here on Earth in order to ultimately fulfill our part in the Master Plan that God has decreed for the human race. The decision of Pilate to knowingly hand over the innocent (Luke 23: 14, 15) humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ to be crucified, played its role in the fulfillment of the plan of God, just as much as Mary's role in providing our Lord's humanity. The same can be said o the decision of Joseph not to divorce Mary, and to do all that he did in order to provide for the protection of our Lord's humanity before the time came for the cross. The decision of Judas to betray the Lord was a part of the Plan of God being manifested by the permissive will of God.
In engineering His Master Plan, God did not violate the free will of the persons involved, but all of them played essential parts in the Master Plan of God. Only a sovereign, omniscient. omnipresent, and omnipotent God could have accomplished such a plan.
The sovereignty of God rules supreme in the daily life of each and every one of us, rather we are with the program or not. If saved, the issue of WHERE you WILL be going upon departing this Earth has been settled for all of eternity future. but HOW (with or without reward(s) and accompanying privilege(s) remains to be seen (1 Co. 3: 12-15).
Saved from what? Saved from the ETERNAL and NEVER-ENDING wrath of God that awaits the soul of EVERY unbeliever throughout the course of human history. Rewarded for what? Rewarded for the DIVINE good that God produced through you as you execute4d the TRUE post (after) salvation spiritual life. It is important to note the difference between human good that ALL humans can produce, and the divine good that God produces through born again believers, but that is another subject for another day.
There IS (biological) life in the FETUS as of the moment of conception, but the soul does NOT enter the body until God places it there simultaneously with the first breath of natural life, as was the case with Adam, AFTER God created the body of Adam to receive it (Gen. 2: 7). The only difference between the bodies of Adam and Eve and ours is that God created Adam's from the dust of the Earth; Eve's from the rib of Adam, whereas our bodies were not created, but were reproduced via the system and apparatus that God created for that purpose. Every human soul (Adam's, Eve's, and ours) was/is created by God and is placed in the body at birth at the same time that one receives his/he first breath of natural life, being then independent of the mother's life support system. To the extent that God allows, Man can preserve and resuscitate the natural life of the body, but can do nothing to retain the soul when God determines it is time for it to depart.
This is not to condone abortion, as unless the system that God engineered spontaneously aborts (miscarries) the fetus, or the fetus is lost from trauma or death suffered by the mother, what is intentionally destroyed was the future humanity of a soul that God would have otherwise filled with a human soul when the body comes forth at birth. John 3: 3 cleary distinguished what it is (the soul) that God creates, and what it is (the body)) that Man reproduces. Note that Scripture related to the First Advent teach that Mary conceived what would BECOME our Lord's humanity at the night of the First Advent. The "leaping" of the fetus in the womb of Elizabeth (Luke 1: 41) was the biological reaction in response to Elizabeth's encounter with Mary, and being filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 41). The heartbeat, and movement or kicking of a fetus in the womb is evidence of the biological life of the fetus that is an extension of the mother's biological life. With the system that God created, the mother provides life biological support of the fetus until the human fetus becomes a human being at BIRTH.
These facts do not lessen the emotional pain when what would have become the humanity of a son or daughter is lost or terminated. I know. My wife and I suffered the painful loss of a stillborn son after what had been a normal, full (9 month) "complication free" pregnancy. Within a relatively short period of time, I had endured the loss of grandparents, and both parents as well as the stillborn son, all before I reached the age of 26.
In addition to my personal experiences and challenges in life, in the course of my police career I witnessed enough pain and suffering that God allowed to make a statue cry. I am well familiar with what adversity many are called to endure as a result of all that the sovereignty of God allows. Through it all I have learned that what does not destroy us will only make us stronger. This is true in the biological/natural realm and in the spiritual realm if we learn to develop and apply the mind of Christ.
In summary, sovereignty is the right to rule over something without any outside pressure, interference, or entanglement. God, as the Creator, created the physical universe. He created it for HIS glory. As God, He has the right to do with it, as a whole or with any part of it, as HE chooses. The only limitations are the ones that He self-imposes in keeping with HIs own character, nature, and agenda. He has a plan for human race, and each and every soul that He creates for His own glory. Some, as individuals or as groups, will choose to reject His plan and agenda and, to the extent that God allows, develop and pursue their own plans and accompanying agenda. Ultimately, the plan of God will be fulfilled, but there are many things that God will allow along the way that are contrary to HIs "ideal" plan. When things are going our way, people generally have no issues with the sovereignty of God, but when things do not go our way, the sovereignty of God is the first thing they question. By keeping in mind who is here to serve Who, we can better understand all that God does, does not do, or over rules as He rules His universe that He created for His purpose.
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